Gentianaceae
Gentian Family
7 genera
15 species
4 subspecies and varieties
15 species
4 subspecies and varieties
Show only taxa with photos
Order by:
Scientific name
Common name
Display as:
Centaurium erythraea – common centaury, European centaury
Distribution: Chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California east to Montana; also in eastern North America.
Habitat: Wet meadows, prairies, grasslands, roadsides, and wasteland.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Annual, Biennial
Distribution: Chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California east to Montana; also in eastern North America.
Habitat: Wet meadows, prairies, grasslands, roadsides, and wasteland.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Annual, Biennial
Centaurium pulchellum – branching centaury, lesser centaury
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington, where known historically; Washington, waif in California, and more common in eastern North America.
Habitat: Meadows, wastelots, and other disturbed areas, generally where moist.
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington, where known historically; Washington, waif in California, and more common in eastern North America.
Habitat: Meadows, wastelots, and other disturbed areas, generally where moist.
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Comastoma tenellum – Lapland gentian, Samiland gentian, slender gentian
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Okanogan County in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the northern Rocky Mountains; circumboreal.
Habitat: Alpine areas, typically where moist.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Annual
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Okanogan County in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the northern Rocky Mountains; circumboreal.
Habitat: Alpine areas, typically where moist.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Annual
Frasera albicaulis – white-stemmed frasera
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California, east to Montana and Nevada.
Habitat: Low plains to open areas in the mountains at moderate elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California, east to Montana and Nevada.
Habitat: Low plains to open areas in the mountains at moderate elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
• var. albicaulis – white-stemmed frasera
• var. columbiana – Columbia frasera
Frasera fastigiata – clustered frasera, Umpqua green-gentian
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in eastern and southeastern Washington; southeastern Washington to adjacent Oregon, east to northeast Idaho.
Habitat: Moist woods and meadowlands.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in eastern and southeastern Washington; southeastern Washington to adjacent Oregon, east to northeast Idaho.
Habitat: Moist woods and meadowlands.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
Frasera speciosa – elkweed, giant frasera, monument plant
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California, east to the Great Plains.
Habitat: Slopes, forest openings, and meadows from middle elevations to the subalpine.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California, east to the Great Plains.
Habitat: Slopes, forest openings, and meadows from middle elevations to the subalpine.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
• var. speciosa – showy frasera
Gentiana affinis – pleated gentian, prairie gentian, Rocky Mtn. gentian
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to the Rocky Mountains.
Habitat: Damp soil and meadowlands, from the valleys and foothills to well up in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to the Rocky Mountains.
Habitat: Damp soil and meadowlands, from the valleys and foothills to well up in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
Gentiana calycosa – explorer's gentian, mt. bog gentian
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in the Cascades, Olympics and Blue Mountains of Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Alberta, Wyoming, and Utah.
Habitat: Subalpine to alpine meadows.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-October
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in the Cascades, Olympics and Blue Mountains of Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Alberta, Wyoming, and Utah.
Habitat: Subalpine to alpine meadows.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-October
Growth Duration: Perennial
Gentiana douglasiana – swamp gentian
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to Washington.
Habitat: Bogs and tundra.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-September
Growth Duration: Annual
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to Washington.
Habitat: Bogs and tundra.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-September
Growth Duration: Annual
Gentiana glauca – glaucous gentian
Distribution: Ocurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in northern Washington; Alaska to Washington, east to Alberta and Montana.
Habitat: Tundra and alpine meadows.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Ocurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in northern Washington; Alaska to Washington, east to Alberta and Montana.
Habitat: Tundra and alpine meadows.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
Gentiana sceptrum – King's gentian, staff gentian
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to northwest California.
Habitat: Bogs and wet places, especially along the coast, at low elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to northwest California.
Habitat: Bogs and wet places, especially along the coast, at low elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
Gentianella amarella – northern gentian
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Rocky Mountains and northern Great Plains.
Habitat: Moist areas, sea level to middle elevations in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Annual, Biennial
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Rocky Mountains and northern Great Plains.
Habitat: Moist areas, sea level to middle elevations in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Annual, Biennial
• ssp. acuta – northern gentian
Swertia perennis – felwort, alpine bog swertia
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in west-central Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Rocky Mountains; circumboreal.
Habitat: Streambanks, wet meadows and other moist places, mid- to high elevations in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in west-central Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Rocky Mountains; circumboreal.
Habitat: Streambanks, wet meadows and other moist places, mid- to high elevations in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Zeltnera exaltata – desert centaury, tall centaury
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California, east to the northern Great Plains.
Habitat: Moist places, especially around alkaline lakes and hot springs.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-July
Growth Duration: Annual
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California, east to the northern Great Plains.
Habitat: Moist places, especially around alkaline lakes and hot springs.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-July
Growth Duration: Annual
Zeltnera muehlenbergii – Muhlenberg`s centaury
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Idaho and Nevada.
Habitat: Forest openings, wet areas at low to middle elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Annual
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Idaho and Nevada.
Habitat: Forest openings, wet areas at low to middle elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Annual
