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

Gentiana andrewsii var. dakotica 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

Stem:

perennial, glabrous to minutely puberulent

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 in upper nodes, dense

Flowers:

5-merous; calyx tube 10 – 12 m long, lobes spreading, margin ciliate; corolla 2.8 – 4 cm long, tubular, pleated, sinus plaits fringed, closed, lobes to 3 mm long, triangular or rounded; stamens epipetalous, anthers connivent; stigmas 2

Fruits:

capsule stipitate; seeds flattened, wing-margined

GENTIANACEAE KEY FOR GENERA FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

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

2 Corolla rotate	Lomatogonium
2 Corolla salverform, tubular, or campanulate	3

3 Corolla lobes fringed; flowers 4-merous	Gentianopsis
3 Corolla lobes not fringed; flowers usually 5-merous

4 Corolla lobes firm, erect to spreading ascending, entire; plaits present in corolla sinuses; flowers sessile or very short-pedicellate; nectary at base of ovary	Gentiana
4 Corolla lobes spreading, shallowly to deeply fringed, lacking plaits in corolla sinuses; flowers distinctly pedicellate; nectary at base of corolla tube, alternate with stamens	Gentianopsis

GENTIANA KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Annuals, < 10 cm tall, stem branched from base, may be prostrate; 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 Corolla closed; anthers connivent; seeds covering inner walls of capsule	G. andrewsii var. dakotica
2 Corolla open; anthers free; seeds along region of sutures in capsule	3

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