Early Gentian

Early Gentian, Durlston National
Nature Reserve, Dorset

5-merous flower

4-merous flower

Close-up of speckled anthers and 2 white stigmas

Corolla tube, sepals, lanceolate upper
and broadly lanceolate lower leaves
Gentianella anglica
Gentianaceae
May to June
It is found mainly in the South and is thinly scattered in the
Southeast and Southwest.
See the BSBI distribution map for Early Gentian
It grows on thin calcareous soils on grazed grassland,
cliff-tops, dunes and rocky places.
Early gentian is a native annual or biennial herb growing up
to 20cm. It is usually shorter, like the ones shown here, which
were less than 5cm.
The flowers are up to 16mm across and either 4-merous or 5-merous.
The petals are fused at the bottom to form a corolla tube.
At the top of the flower the petals are light purple and spread out
to form 4 or 5 pointed ovals with conspicuous basal fringes.
The number of stamens is the same as the number ofpetals.
There are 2 amorphous stigmas.
Sepals are lanceolate and roughly half the length of the corolla
tube.
Lower leaves are opposite and broadly lanceolate.
Upper leaves are lanceolate.
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