#gentiana quinquefolia

[cedar-glade]

Sullivants cool wort, a globally rare species considered an indicator of consistantly cool and humid microclimates and associated with glacial refugium. I didnt know this population exsisted in jefferson co. / clifty falls state park. The wall may be the only location in the gorge that contains the species; rather, the only easily accessible spot. Beleive it or not I was looking for stiff gentian, specifically more of the small wet rock in partial shade stiff gentian. Unfortunately I checked on both of the old populations and there may end up being a local extripation.

Gentiana quinquefolia and open limestone sill habitat in part shade. Other cool species:

Aristolochia serpentaria

[thebotanicalarcade]

n481_w1150 by Biodiversity Heritage Library Via Flickr: The ladies' flower-garden of ornamental annuals.. London,W. S. Orr & co.[1849]. biodiversitylibrary.org/page/50859905

[vandaliatraveler]

One of the Appalachia’s last wildflowers to bloom in the fall, stiff gentian (Gentianella quinquefolia) is easily identified by its tightly-held clusters of purple, tubular flowers, whose five sepals form distinctive points before closing at their tips. This lovely biennial herb gets its name from the bunched, upright structure of its flowers, which grow in terminal clusters from the ends of a purplish, central stem and branching leaf axils. Stiff gentian’s leaves are opposite, ovate, and smooth along the edges; they clasp the plant’s stems where they meet. Also known as agueweed, the plant has a long history of medical use; a tea or infusion made of the root was once used as a bitter tonic to improve digestion and treat fever accompanied by joint pains. Stiff gentian prefers well-drained, upland habitat in full sun to partial shade, but will tolerate mesic conditions around stream banks and bog margins. It reproduces by seed only. The above photos were taken in the bog complex surrounding Spruce Knob Lake, where I also found closed bottle gentian (Gentiana clausa).

[speakingofnature]

These Stiff Gentians (Gentiana quinquefolia) covered with September’s early-morning dewdrops were discovered at Decorah.

[cedar-glade]

Stiff Gentian

Gentianella quinquefolia

Perhaps one of the last groups of plants that bloom is the dwarf gentian group, which stiff gentian happens to be a part of. I photographed these to individuals at Clifty Falls State Park, Indiana in mid October this year. This species has a range that seems fairly small in Indiana; but that is going off of the plant atlas which does not seem to report this species present in the county that I found it in and fairly common in the counties where it is noted. 

Compared to it’s floral look-a-likes this species is much smaller than Gentiana latidens,  Gentiana saponaria, and Gentian andrewsii. Gentianella quinquefolia is also much more variable in color ranging from this light sky blue flower to a very dark electric blue associated more with open sunlight populations.

I found these along Loop 6 in fairly shaded calcareous wet soil doing just as well as fen and dry prairie members of the same species.