Gentiana saponaria, the soapwort gentian or harvestbells, is a 1–2 ft (30–61 cm) tall flowering plant in the Gentianaceae family.
Description
Similar to the "bottle" gentians like Gentiana clausa and Gentiana andrewsii, it has paired, lanceolate leaves on unbranched stalks, blue or purple blooms, and a stout taproot. The flowers are pollinated by bumblebees.[2][3][4]
Distribution and habitat
It is native to eastern North America south of the Great Lakes, from Wisconsin to New York, and south to Texas and Florida.[5][6] It is rare in its range, usually found in undisturbed sandy soils.
References
- ^ "NatureServe Explorer 2.0". explorer.natureserve.org.
- ^ Illinois Wildflowers listing for Soapwort Gentian
- ^ Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center listing
- ^ ITIS standard report page
- ^ "BONAP distribution map of North American Gentiana species". Archived from the original on 2012-03-24. Retrieved 2011-09-04.
- ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Gentiana saponaria". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 3 September 2011.