MStar Gentian (Swertia perennis)M
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Star Gentian -or- Felwort (Swertia perennis), family Gentianaceae (Gentian)
Flower -
Plant location: Silver Dollar Lake trail, Guanella Pass Road, Colorado - August 4, 2014. The plants are found in the USA and Canada: AK, AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY, and BC. This species is a montane to alpine dweller.Plant -
Bloom season: July through September.Foliage -
Mark sighted this beauty while hiking Silver Dollar Lake in Colorado. Photo: August 4, 2014. -
Centered in this shot is the ovary of the flower surrounded by stamens, anthers at the tips. -
As the leaves of Star Gentian progress up the stem they become more pointed and narrow. -
Delightful to find this species in such a fresh state of bloom. -
Leaves at the base of the plant - rounded and slightly fuller at the mid-section. -
Little Star Gentian may not be a showy eye-popping bloom but it's subtle beauty and intricate conformation can't fail to please. It deserves close scrutiny when one is lucky enough to find it. -
Up close and personal, the pale green bracts that cradle the petals of these flowers is a perfect counterpoint to the rich blue-purple of the petals. -
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Nectary pits at the base of the stamens, two each. -