About Gentiana glauca Pall.
Gentiana glauca Pall. is a flowering plant species in the gentian family, commonly known as pale gentian and glaucous gentian. It is native to eastern Asia and northwestern North America, ranging from Alaska and the Northwest Territories to Washington and Montana. This is a perennial herb that grows from a rhizome, producing a basal rosette of oval leaves that measure 1–2 cm (0.39–0.79 in) long. Leaves along the stem are arranged oppositely, growing in 2 to 4 pairs and reaching 5–10 mm long. The stem reaches a maximum height of about 15 cm (5.9 in). The inflorescence forms as small cymes of 2 to 5 flowers clustered near the stem apex, holding three to five blue or blue-green flowers up to 2 cm (0.79 in) long. Its calyxes measure 5–7 mm, and the plant bears a narrow corolla. Reported pollinators include multiple bee species: Bombus appositus, Bombus fervidus, Bombus flavifrons, Bombus sylvicola, Bombus pensylvanicus, and Bombus kirbiellus. The plant reproduces sexually via seed, and spreads vegetatively by sprouting new growth from its rhizome. Seeds develop inside 1-celled, 2-valved tubular capsule fruits. Seeds weigh approximately 0.12 g and have a length of 0.7–1.0 cm. This species grows on tundra and in a range of other moist, treeless habitat types. It occurs in subalpine and alpine climates, with a typical growing season that runs from July to September. In Montana, it occurs at elevations around 2,485 m (8,153 ft), and in Alaska it occurs at elevations of at least 1,500 m (4,900 ft).
