Species: Gentiana andrewsii var. dakotica A. Nels.

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Gentiana andrewsii var. dakotica A. Nels.

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Gentianaceae

Genus:

Gentiana

Species Synonyms:

none

Common Names:

closed blue gentian
closed bottle gentian
Dakota gentian

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

southeastern Saskatchewan – southern Manitoba

Saskatchewan:

southeastern Saskatchewan

Ecoregion:

Aspen Parkland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

meadows and moist prairies

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Endangered

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 S1

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Closed blue gentian is endangered in Saskatchewan because it is extremely rare and is restricted to a small region of the province. These plants are almost always locally sparse. Possible threats have been identified for this species.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

30 – 70 cm

Roots:

rootstock stout

Stems:

perennial, hairless to minutely hairy

Leaves:

opposite, sessile, simple, 1.8 – 8.5 cm long, 0.5 – 3.5 cm wide, lower leaves becoming smaller and scale-like

Inflorescence:

heads terminal, occasionally also axillary at upper nodes, dense

Flowers:

5-merous; sepal tube 10 – 12 m long, lobes spreading, margin fringed with hairs; petals 2.8 – 4 cm long, tubular, pleats fringed, closed, lobes to 3 cm long, triangular or rounded; stamens inserted on petals, anthers converging but not united; stigmas 2

Fruits:

capsule stalked; seeds flattened, wing-margined

GENTIANACEAE KEY FOR GENERA FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Petals spurred; flowers purplish or yellowish-green	Halenia
1 Petals not spurred; flowers purplish, bluish or whitish	2

2 Petals disc-shaped, with the lobes flat and spreading	Lomatogonium
2 Petals forming a long, slender tube or bell-shaped	3

3 Petal lobes fringed; flowers with four petals, sepals and stamens	Gentianopsis
3 Petal lobes not fringed; flowers usually with five parts

4 Petal lobes firm, erect to spreading ascending, entire; plaits present between petal lobes; flowers stalkless or very short-stalked; nectary at base of ovary	Gentiana
4 Petal lobes spreading, shallowly to deeply fringed, lacking plaits between petal lobes; flowers distinctly stalked; nectary at base of petal tube, alternate with stamens	Gentianopsis

GENTIANA KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Annuals, < 10 cm tall, stem branched from base, may be lying flat on the ground; flowers < 2 cm long; seeds wingless	G. fremontii
1 Perennials, > 10 cm tall, stems simple; flowers usually at least 3 cm long; seeds usually winged	2

2 Petals closed; anthers converging but not united; seeds covering inner walls of capsule	G. andrewsii var. dakotica
2 Petals open; anthers free; seeds along region of sutures in capsule	3

3 Leaves in less than 13 pairs; petal tube to 3 cm long, lobes equalling to slightly surpassing appendages	G. affinis
3 Leaves in up to 19 pairs; petals to 4.5 cm long, lobes at least 2 x as long as appendages	G. puberulenta