[The Gentian Family East of the Cascade Mts. of Oregon and Washington]

Gentians East of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington

The Genus Gentiana

Mountain Bog Gentian: Gentiana calycosa

Pleated Gentian, Prairie Gentian, Rocky Mountain Gentian, Trapper's Gentian: Gentiana affinis (Synonyms: Dasystephana affinis, Dasystephana interrupta, Gentiana affinis ssp. ovata, Gentiana affinis var. bigelovii, Gentiana affinis var. forwoodii, Gentiana affinis var. major, Gentiana affinis var. oregana, Gentiana affinis var. ovata, Gentiana affinis var. parvidentata, Gentiana bigelovii, Gentiana forwoodii, Gentiana interrupta, Gentiana oregana, Gentiana rusbyi, Pneumonanthe affinis, Pneumonanthe bigelovii) - Flowers typically several per stem. Stems more than 20 cm high. Leaves mostly longer than wide and 2-5 cm long. Calyx lobes narrow and up to 8 mm long. Corolla 2-4.5 cm long with spreading lobes.

Explorer's Gentian, Mountain Bog Gentian, Rainier Pleated Gentian: Gentiana calycosa (Synonyms: Gentiana calycosa ssp. calycosa, Gentiana calycosa ssp. obtusiloba, Gentiana calycosa ssp. xantha, Gentiana calycosa var. calycosa, Gentiana calycosa var. obtusiloba, Gentiana calycosa var. xantha, Pneumonanthe calycosa) - Flowers typically single on each stem. One to several stems from 10-20 cm tall. Leaves circular, thick and fleshy and 1-3 cm long. Corolla 3-3.5 cm long with spreading lobes.

Glaucous Gentian, Pale Gentian: Gentiana glauca (Synonyms: Dasystephana glauca, Gentianodes glauca) - Found in tundra and alpine meadows of the north Cascades eastward to the higher peaks of the Okanogan in north-central Washington.

Pygmy Gentian, Moss Gentian: Gentiana prostrata - Flowers typically one per stem. Stems less than 10 cm tall. Leaves less than 1 cm long. Corolla less than 1 cm long.

Paul Slichter E-mail