King Gentian
Gentiana sceptrum
Description: A 25-100cm tall perennial from thick fleshy roots, usually with multiple stems, sometimes solitary. Leaves are opposite, ascending and lance shaped with the largest leaves being found at the top of the plant. Strikingly blue tubular flowers are 3-4.5cm long and may have green streaks in their lobes; sepals are fused into a short tube with 5 well developed lobes.
Ecology: Common throughout coastal BC, particularly in southwestern BC, in bogs, fens, wet meadows and lakeshores at low elevation.
Notes: This one was found in a small bog at Carlson Lake, a middle elevation transitional zone containing species found at both high and low elevations. It was early August, 2001.
Bog Gentian
AKA Swamp Gentian
Gentiana douglasiana
Description: A beautiful tap rooted annual 5-25cm tall, branched with basal leaves in a small rosette and few elliptic opposite stem leaves. Flowers are white with purplish streaks, may be solitary or several heads in a flat-topped cluster. White petals have longer petals with shorter in between.
Ecology: Found in bogs, fens and wet meadows from low to subalpine areas, Common from Alaska to the southernmost portion of southwestern BC.
Notes: This picture was taken in a small bog at Carlson Lake, a middle elevation transitional zone on the Sunshine Coast, it was early August, 2001.
