Affinis:  Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF) and Flora of Alberta (FOA) leading to this species.   perennials; NOT biennials plants erect or ascending; NOT [plants prostrate] plants without basal rosettes at flowering; NOT [plants with basal rosettes present at flowering] leaves ovate to lanceolate; NOT [leaves linear-oblong] (BF) leaves oblong or lanceolate; NOT [leaves broadly ovate] (FOA) leaves acute at apex; NOT [leaves obtuse at apex] leaves glabrous; NOT [leaves puberulent] leaves without white margins NOT [leaves 3-5 mm long, crowded on the stem, the margins scarious or whitish] flowers several, in leaf axils; NOT [flowers solitary and terminal] calyx lobes linear to linear-lanceolate; NOT [calyx lobes broadly ovate or oval] (BF) calyx-lobes acute; NOT [calyx-lobes obtuse] (FOA) flowers 25-30 mm long; NOT [flowers 35-45 mm long] (BF) corolla 20-30 mm long; NOT [corolla 30-40 mm long] (FOA) corolla 20-40 mm long; NOT [corolla 12-18 mm long] (FOA) mouth of corolla open; NOT [mouth of corolla almost or quite closed] corolla lobes distinct; NOT [corolla lobes absent or very minute] corolla deep blue or purple; NOT [corolla greenish blue]

 

Gentiana: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus. plants with simple opposite leaves; NOT [plants with trifoliate leaves] corolla tubular to funnelform or nearly cup-shaped or campanulate; NOT [corolla rotate] corolla tube as long as or longer than the corolla lobes; NOT [corolla tube much shorter than the lobes] corolla NOT spurred at base; NOT [corolla, at least in the larger flowers, with 4 hollow spurs at the base] corolla with plaits or folds between the lobes corolla lobes 3-veined; NOT 5-9 veined stamens inserted on the corolla-tube; NOT [stamens inserted at base of corolla] nectaries at the base of the ovary; NOT [nectaries upon the base of the corolla-tube alternate with the stamens]

Gentianaceae:  Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora leading to this family.   herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees] plants green or with some chlorophyll; NOT [plants parasitic or saprophytic, without chlorophyll] plants WITHOUT milky juice plants NOT twining leaves opposite; NOT [leaves alternate or basal] flowers NOT in heads or spikes flowers in cymose clusters; NOT [flowers scorpioid or solitary in leaf axils] flowers with two floral rings, but with the petals wholly or partly united forming a tube or bell corolla regular stamens alternating with corolla lobes, or twice their number; NOT [stamens directly in front of corolla lobes] stamens 4 or 5; NOT [stamens 8 or 10] style terminal; NOT [style from center of lobes of ovary] ovary superior; NOT ovary inferior 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 fruit a berry or capsule; NOT [fruit with 4 nutlets]