Gentiana affinis 
 
Oblong-Leaved Gentian

Whole Plant

West Block, Cypress Hills
25-July-06

Note that Flora of Alberta places those species without plaits or folds between the corolla lobes into a separate genus GentianellaBudd's Flora includes these species in a larger Gentiana.

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Affinis:  Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF) and Flora of Alberta (FOA) leading to this species.  
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perennials; NOT biennials

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plants erect or ascending; NOT [plants prostrate]

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plants without basal rosettes at flowering; NOT [plants with basal rosettes present at flowering]

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leaves ovate to lanceolate; NOT [leaves linear-oblong] (BF)

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leaves oblong or lanceolate; NOT [leaves broadly ovate] (FOA)

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leaves acute at apex; NOT [leaves obtuse at apex]

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leaves glabrous; NOT [leaves puberulent]

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leaves without white margins

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NOT [leaves 3-5 mm long, crowded on the stem, the margins scarious or whitish]

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flowers several, in leaf axils; NOT [flowers solitary and terminal]

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calyx lobes linear to linear-lanceolate; NOT [calyx lobes broadly ovate or oval] (BF)

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calyx-lobes acute; NOT [calyx-lobes obtuse] (FOA)

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flowers 25-30 mm long; NOT [flowers 35-45 mm long] (BF)

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corolla 20-30 mm long; NOT [corolla 30-40 mm long] (FOA)

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corolla 20-40 mm long; NOT [corolla 12-18 mm long] (FOA)

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mouth of corolla open; NOT [mouth of corolla almost or quite closed]

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corolla lobes distinct; NOT [corolla lobes absent or very minute]

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corolla deep blue or purple; NOT [corolla greenish blue]

 
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Gentiana: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus.
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plants with simple opposite leaves; NOT [plants with trifoliate leaves]

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corolla tubular to funnelform or nearly cup-shaped or campanulate; NOT [corolla rotate]

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corolla tube as long as or longer than the corolla lobes; NOT [corolla tube much shorter than the lobes]

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corolla NOT spurred at base; NOT [corolla, at least in the larger flowers, with 4 hollow spurs at the base]

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corolla with plaits or folds between the lobes

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corolla lobes 3-veined; NOT 5-9 veined

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stamens inserted on the corolla-tube; NOT [stamens inserted at base of corolla]

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nectaries at the base of the ovary; NOT [nectaries upon the base of the corolla-tube alternate with the stamens]

 

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Gentianaceae:  Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora leading to this family.  
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herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]

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plants green or with some chlorophyll; NOT [plants parasitic or saprophytic, without chlorophyll]

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plants WITHOUT milky juice

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plants NOT twining

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leaves opposite; NOT [leaves alternate or basal]

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flowers NOT in heads or spikes

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flowers in cymose clusters; NOT [flowers scorpioid or solitary in leaf axils]

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flowers with two floral rings, but with the petals wholly or partly united forming a tube or bell

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corolla regular

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stamens alternating with corolla lobes, or twice their number; NOT [stamens directly in front of corolla lobes]

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stamens 4 or 5; NOT [stamens 8 or 10]

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style terminal; NOT [style from center of lobes of ovary]

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ovary superior; NOT ovary inferior

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ovary 1-celled with seeds born on wall of cell; NOT [ovary 2- or 3-celled with seeds born on axis in center of cell

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fruit a berry or capsule; NOT [fruit with 4 nutlets]