Gentiana acaulis, the stemless gentian,[Lena Struwe (Editor), Victor A. Albert (Editor), Gentianaceae, Cambridge University Press, 2002; ] or trumpet gentian,
Description
It is a
perennial plant, growing up to a height of tall and forming a mat up to wide.
The
leaf, which can be
lanceolate, elliptical or
obovate,
are
evergreen, 2–3.5 cm long, in a basal rosette, forming clumps. The trumpet-shaped terminal
are blue with olive-green spotted longitudinal throats.
They grow on a very short peduncle, 3–6 cm long. The flower stem is often without leaves, or has 1 or 2 pairs of leaves. It likes full sun, is fully hardy and flowers in late spring and summer.
The minute single crystals observed in its leaves are not true .
Horticulture
This plant, like others of its genus, is valued in cultivation for the unusually pure intense blue of its blooms. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Etymology
The Latin specific epithet
acaulis means "short-stemmed".
Taxonomy
The closely related
Gentiana clusii, often called by the same common name as this species, differs in its preference for
alkali soils. It also has shorter leaves and the flowers have no olive-green stripes.
Phylogeny
Phylogenetic research suggests
G. acaulis is sister to a clade containing 4 other
Gentiana species:
Gentiana verna,
G. bavarica,
Gentiana nivalis, and
G. utriculosa.
Culture
A depiction of a gentian flower can be seen on the obverse side of Austrian € 0.01 euro coins.
Images
File:Gentiana acaulis (34797333066).jpg
GentianaAcaulisRannoch.jpg
File:Gentiána.jpg
File:Gentiana acaulis L ag1.jpg
File:Gentiana acaulis (stemless gentian).jpg
External links
Bibliography
