Gentiana saponaria, the soapwort gentian or harvestbells, is a 1–2 ft (30–61 cm) tall flowering plant in the Gentianaceae family.
| Gentiana saponaria | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Gentianaceae |
| Genus: | Gentiana |
| Species: | G. saponaria
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| Binomial name | |
| Gentiana saponaria | |
Description edit
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 edit
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 edit
- ^ "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.
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