Gentiana affinis Griseb.
prairie gentian (pleated gentian)
Gentianaceae (Gentian family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
prairie gentian (pleated gentian)
Gentianaceae (Gentian family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
SUBTAXA PRESENT IN BC
Gentiana affinis var. affinis
Species Information
General:
Perennial herb from a thick, fleshy root; stems 1-several, erect to decumbent at the base, usually tufted, minutely short-hairy, grooved, 10-35 cm tall.
Leaves:
Stem leaves opposite, egg-shaped to oblong-lanceolate, 6-12 pairs, 1-4 cm long, 4-9 mm wide, margins rough-hairy, lowest few pairs reduced to bracts.
Flowers:
Inflorescence a raceme-like terminal cluster of few to numerous, stalked flowers; corollas blue or bluish, 2-3 cm long, narrowly funnelform, the lobes egg-shaped, spreading, the plaits between the lobes cleft and unevenly toothed; calyx tubes 3-9 mm long with 5 flaring unequal lobes 4-6 mm long; stamens shorter than the corolla tubes; anthers 2.5-4 mm long.
Fruits:
Capsules, 1-chambered; seeds elliptic, flattened with broad, winged margins, finely net-veined.
Illustration
If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia
Ecology
Ecological Framework for Gentiana affinis
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
| Site Information |
Value / Class |
||
|
Avg |
Min |
Max |
|
| Elevation
(metres) |
1999 | 1240 | 2300 |
| Slope
Gradient (%) |
27 | 15 | 65 |
|
Aspect (degrees) |
101 | 58 | 290 |
| Soil
Moisture Regime (SMR) [0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic; 8 - hydric] |
3 | 2 | 6 |
| Modal
Nutrient Regime
Class |
C | ||
| #
of field plots species was recorded in: |
8 | ||
| Modal
BEC Zone Class |
ESSF | ||
|
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in |
ESSF(6), IDF(1), IMA(1) | ||
|
Source:
Klinkenberg 2013
|
|||
Habitat and Range
Moist, often saline meadows, grassy slopes and forest openings in the lowland, montane and subalpine zones; rare in SC and SE BC, E to MB and S to AZ, CA and MX.Status Information
Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Dasystephana affinis (Griseb.) Rydb.
Dasystephana interrupta (Greene) Rydb.
Gentiana affinis var. bigelovii (A. Gray) Kusnez.
Gentiana affinis var. forwoodii (A. Gray) Kusnez.
Gentiana affinis var. major A. Nelson & Kennedy
Gentiana affinis var. ovata A. Gray
Gentiana affinis var. parvidentata Kusnez.
Gentiana bigelovii A. Gray
Gentiana forwoodii A. Gray
Gentiana interrupta Greene
Gentiana oregana Engelm. ex A. Gray
Gentiana rusbyi Greene
Pneumonanthe affinis (Griseb.) W.A. Weber
Pneumonanthe bigelovii (A. Gray) Greene