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Macoun's Gentian - Gentianopsis macounii
Other Names:
Gentiana macounii, Gentianella crinita ssp. macounii, Gentianopsis procera ssp. macounii, Gentianopsis virgata ssp. macounii
State Rank Reason (see State Rank above)
Rare in Montana, where it is known from several sites along the Rocky Mountain Front.
General Description
Macoun's Gentian is a glabrous annual with erect, simple to few-branched stems that are 5-50 cm high. The basal leaves are 2-3 cm long and lance-shaped with blunt tips. The opposite stem leaves are narrower with pointed tips. A solitary, long-stalked flower occurs at the stem tip, while others may arise from the upper leaf axils. The calyx is 15-25 mm long and has 4 pointed lobes and small, white bumps at the base. The deep blue, tubular corolla is 2-5 cm long and has 4 broad, spreading, fringed lobes. The 4 stamens have hairs at midlength. The fruit is a stalked, narrowly elliptic, many-seeded capsule that is 12-25 mm long.
Lesica (2012) splits out of this species Gentianopsis detonsa, which is diagnosed by the presense of papillae on the ribs of the calyx.
Phenology
Flowering in August, fruiting in early September.
Diagnostic Characteristics
Gentianopsis dentosa is similar but lacks the small white bumps at the base of the calyx.
Species Range
Montana Range
Range Descriptions
Native
Range Comments
Yukon to Quebec, south to BC, MT, and ND. Peripheral.
Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
Number of Observations: 17
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Relative Density
Recency
(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)
Habitat
Wet, organic soil of calcareous fens in the valley and foothill zones.
Ecological Systems Associated with this Species
Threats or Limiting Factors
STATE THREAT SCORE REASON
Threat impact not assigned because threats are not known (MTNHP Threat Assessment 2021).
References
- Literature Cited AboveLegend:
View Online Publication- Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 771 p.
- Additional ReferencesLegend: View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?
Ament, R.J. 1995. Pioneer Plant Communities Five Years After the 1988 Yellowstone Fires. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 216 p.- Iltis, H.H. 1965. The genus Gentianopsis (Gentianaceae): transfers and phytogeographic comments. Sida 2:129-153.
- Lesica, P. 1986. Vegetation and flora of Pine Butte fen, Teton County, Montana. The Great Basin Naturalist 46(1): 22-32.
- Lesica, P. 1991. The Rare Vascular Plants of Pine Butte Swamp Preserve. Unpublished Report to the Nature Conservancy. 15 Pp.
- Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2022. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants, Second Edition. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 779 p.
- Web Search Engines for Articles on "Macoun's Gentian"
