FIELD GENTIAN

Gentianella campestris

Gentian Family [Gentianaceae]

month8jul month8july month8aug month8sep month8sept month8oct

status
statusZnative
flower
flower8mauve
inner
inner8white
morph
morph8actino
petals
petalsZ4
type
typeZtubular
stem
stem8square

9th Aug 2012, Humphrey Head, Grange over Sands, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
Grows from 15 - 30cm high on grasslands and sand-dunes, but usually avoiding lime. At least two stems are square (centre) of the several flower-heads arising.


9th Aug 2012, Humphrey Head, Grange over Sands, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
The flowers are paler than those of the very similar Autumn Gentian tending more towards blue-purple. The two outer sepals are also wider and longer than those of Autumn Gentian.


9th Aug 2012, Humphrey Head, Grange over Sands, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
The outer sepals always overlap the narrower inner ones.


9th Aug 2012, Humphrey Head, Grange over Sands, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
The flowers always have four petals (never sometimes five as those of Autumn Gentian)


9th Aug 2012, Humphrey Head, Grange over Sands, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD


9th Aug 2012, Humphrey Head, Grange over Sands, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
The fringes partially occluding the anthers and sepal opening are thinner than those on Autumn Gentian.


9th Aug 2012, Humphrey Head, Grange over Sands, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
Your Author knows not which insects the flower is making entry to the nectar more difficult.


Easily mistaken for : Autumn Gentian (Gentianella amarella) - see captions for differences.

Some resemblance to : Centauries such as Common Centaury (Centaurium erythraea) but that has smaller pinkish flowers and to Yellow-wort (Blackstonia perfoliata) but that is yellow. Uniquely identifiable characteristics - as a Gentian.

Distinguishing Feature :

It is now quite rare in the south of the UK, preferring a more northerly distribution. Trying to avoid lime, it prefers neutral or slightly acidic soils of pasture and grassland, sand dunes and low-lying grassy plains near northerly coasts (machair).


  Gentianella campestris  ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ Gentianaceae  

Distribution
 family8Gentian family8Gentianaceae
 BSBI maps
genus8Gentianella
Gentianella
(Gentians)

FIELD GENTIAN

Gentianella campestris

Gentian Family [Gentianaceae]