Species: Gentiana puberulenta J. Pringle

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Gentiana puberulenta J. Pringle

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Gentianaceae

Genus:

Gentiana

Species Synonyms:

Gentiana puberula auct. non Michx

Common Names:

prairie gentian
downy gentian

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

central Saskatchewan, southern Manitoba – southern Ontario

Saskatchewan:

central Saskatchewan

Ecoregion:

Moist Mixed Grassland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

mesic prairie

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Endangered

Nature Conservancy Status:

G4G5 N2 S1

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Prairie gentian is endangered because it is extremely rare in Saskatchewan and is restricted to one very small region. Immediate and probable threats have been identified.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

15 – 50 cm

Roots:

rootstock stout or rhizome

Stems:

perennial, minutely hairy

Leaves:

basal rosette absent; lower leaves reduced and scale-like; upper stem leaves opposite, in up to 19 pairs, 1 – 5.5 cm long, 0.3 – 2 cm wide, lance-shaped, obtuse or rounded at base, minutely hairy

Inflorescence:

terminal and occasionally in the upper axils, dense, 3 – 10-flowered

Flowers:

5-merous; sepals tubular, tube 7 – 18 mm long, lobes well developed and about equalling tube; petals to 4.6 cm long, funnel-shaped, open, lobes spreading at maturity and at least 2x as long as 2-cleft appendages, plaits present between petal lobes, petals blue or purple; anthers free

Fruits:

capsule stalked; seeds flattened, winged, restricted to sutures of capsule

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