Page author: David Giblin
Gentiana calycosa
explorer's gentian, mt. bog gentian
Specimens
Photos

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.

Flowers: July-October

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bumblebees

Description:
General:

Tufted perennial from thick, fleshy roots, the several glabrous stems usually simple and erect, 5-30 cm. tall.

Leaves:

Leaves opposite, 7-9 pairs, the lowest connected at the base and sheathing, the main cauline leaves 1-2.5 cm. long, broadly lanceolate to ovate-rotund, glabrous, semi-cordate and sessile.

Flowers:

Flowers mostly 1-3, terminal, occasionally pedunculate from the axil of the upper 1-2 leaves; calyx tube subtended by bracteoles, 4-10 mm. long, purplish to greenish, the 5 lobes highly variable, from oval and spreading to lanceolate and erect, twice as long as the tube to short and linear, or lacking; corolla tubular-funnelform, 2.5-4 cm. long, usually deep blue, streaked and mottled with green, the 5 lobes oblong-ovate, usually pointed, 5-10 mm. long, with lacerated projections in the sinuses; the 5 stamens attached to the corolla tube for about 1/3 their length, the attached portion broadly wing-margined; ovary superior, with a long stipe.

Fruits:

Capsule 1-celled, 2-valved.

Accepted Name:
Gentiana calycosa Griseb.
Publication: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2(8): 58-59, pl. 146. 1838.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Gentiana calycosa ssp. calycosa
Gentiana calycosa ssp. obtusiloba (Rydb.) C.L. Hitchc.
Gentiana calycosa ssp. xantha A. Nels.
Gentiana calycosa Griseb. var. asepala (Maguire) C.L. Hitchc. [HC]
Gentiana calycosa Griseb. var. calycosa [HC]
Gentiana calycosa Griseb. var. obtusiloba (Rydb.) C.L. Hitchc. [HC]
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Gentiana calycosa in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database

WA Flora Checklist: Gentiana calycosa checklist entry

OregonFlora: Gentiana calycosa information

E-Flora BC: Gentiana calycosa atlas page

CalPhotos: Gentiana calycosa photos

83 photographs:
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