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Volume I (1961) - Flora of New Zealand Indigenous Tracheophyta - Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Filicopsida, Gymnospermae, Dicotyledons
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Gentiana L.

GENTIANA L., 1753

Infl. axillary and/or terminal, of small to large cymes, often umbelli-form, often corymbose, or fls solitary. Fls 5-(4)-merous, sts involucrate. Calyx cut to different levels, sinus acute to rounded. Corolla ± deeply lobed, us. campanulate to rotate, mainly white, sts veins purplish, rarely more fully coloured. Stamens < corolla. Ovary 1-loculed, sessile or very shortly stipitate, with 2 parietal placentae. Style short to obsolete; stigmas 2, recurved; seeds small, ∞, globose. Capsule very shortly stipitate or sessile, ellipsoid, 2-valved. Glab. herbs, perennial or occ. annual, with opp. lvs.

KEY TO SPECIES OF MAIN AND IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT ISLANDS

Key

1
Sinus of calyx-lobes broad, rounded
2
Sinus of calyx-lobes narrow, acute or nearly so
6
2
Lvs narrow-linear, < 3 mm. Wide
19. astonii
Lvs much wider
3
3
Branches ∞, not stiff, prostrate or spreading below; fls mostly solitary
8. saxosa
Branches few, stiff, erect, or often only 1 main stem; fls mostly in Clusters
4
4
Lamina of lvs very thin, membr., with 3-5 arcuate evident nerves;reticulations of minor veins evident; calyx-tips ± recurved
13. tenuifolia
Lamina of lvs thick, coriac., with only main veins evident; reticulations of minor veins not visible; calyx-tips not recurved
5
5
Root us. > 1 cm. diam.; stems stout, 30-45-(60) cm. tall; basal lvs ± 5-15 cm. long
12. corymbifera
Root very slender; stems slender, c. 15 cm. tall; basal lvs ± 2 cm. long
15. serotina
6
Fls solitary or occ. paired or in threes
7
Fls in umbelliform to corymbose cymes or clusters
14
7
Plant annual or biennial
8
Plant perennial
11
8
Plant not > 7·5 cm. tall; fls 8-10 mm. diam.; calyx-lobes broad-ovate, acute; basal lvs few, narrow-spathulate, obtuse
1. filipes
Plant not with the above characters in combination
9
9
Fls c. 20 mm. long; calyx-lobes nearly ═ corolla, cut almost to base
3. gibbsii
Fls smaller; calyx-lobes < corolla, less deeply cut
10
10
Plant weakly laxly branched; calyx-lobes linear-subulate, acute to acuminate; corolla-lobes narrow-ovate to oblong, acute
4. grisebachii
Plant with firmer branches; calyx-lobes ovate-oblong to narrow-ovate,subacute; corolla-lobes subacute
5. matthewsii
11
Basal lvs narrowly linear to lanceolate, not > 3 mm. wide
12
Basal lvs distinctly wider, elliptic to spathulate
13
12
Lvs coriac. and glossy, narrow-lanceolate
17. gracilifolia
Lvs membr., linear to very slightly expanded at apex
2. lineata
13
Stems with ∞ branches, prostrate or spreading below; lamina spathulate; calyx-lobes recurved
8. saxosa
Stems simple or sparingly branched, erect; lamina ± elliptic; calyx-lobes not recurved
9. bellidifolia
14
Basal lvs sessile, glossy, narrow-lanceolate; cauline lvs ∞,narrow
16. vernicosa
Basal lvs petiolate, us. not glossy, elliptic to spathulate; cauline lvs few, not very narrow
15
15
Plant forming rather compact ± globular mass; at flowering time lvs almost hidden by fls; no distinctly bracted umbelliform clustersof fls
16
Plant not forming such mass; lvs not at all hidden at any stage; infls various
17
16
Calyx-lobes recurved; branches procumbent; coastal
8. saxosa
Calyx-lobes not recurved; branches erect; inland
11. divisa
17
Lamina of basal lvs broadest above middle; fls mostly in distinctly bracted umbelliform clusters
18
Lamina of basal lvs broadest about middle; infls various
19
18
Calyx with both narrow and broad lobes; plant not robust; rarely multicipital, probably annual
6. spenceri
Calyx-lobes all alike; plant very robust, often multicipital or stoloni-ferous, perennial
7. montana
19
Stems not > ± 15 cm. tall; lamina of basal lvs ± 10-15 mm. long
9. bellidifolia
Stems us. at least 20 cm. tall; lamina of basal lvs us. > 20 mm. long
20
20
Basal lvs coriac. to subfleshy, almost glossy, mostly < 8 mm. wide
18. townsonii
Basal lvs coriac. to membr., not glossy, mostly > 10 mm. wide
21
21
Basal lvs few, 3-5-nerved with evident reticulations; plant probably annual
14. tereticaulis
Basal lvs ∞ with one obvious nerve; plant perennial
10. patula

SPECIES CONFINED TO CHATHAM OR SUBANTARCTIC ISLANDS

Key

A
Plant confined to Chatham Is. Slender annual to 30 cm. tall; corolla 8-9 mm. long
20. chathamica
Plant confined to Campbell Id. Rather stout erect annual to c. 25 cm. tall; corolla c. 11mm. long
23. antarctica
C
Plant confined to Antipodes Id. Erect perennial up to c. 25 cm. tall; corolla ± 6-8 mm. long
24. antipoda
Plant confined to Auckland Is
E
E
Plant perennial, stems prostrate for greater part of length; basal lvs (12)-20-40 × 8-10 mm
21. cerina
Plant annual, stems erect or ascending; basal lvs 8-20 × 3-7 mm
22. concinna

Flowering may commence in December, one of the earliest spp. being G. grisebachii. Most spp. may be found in flower during January, February and March, but odd spp. may be still flowering in April, or even June.

The above description is based on N.Z. specimens, of which there are at least 24 spp., a few nearly related forms occurring also in Tasmania. The genus as a whole is much more diverse in its characters, separating into ± distinct groups sts treated as separate genera and totalling c. 400 spp. Warburg (Fl. Brit. Isles 1952, 823) places the N.Z. spp. (apparently all) in Gentianella, which has the fls 4-5-merous, calyx-teeth not joined by a membrane; corolla-lobes 5-9-veined, without small lobes between; anthers versatile. Further study of the N.Z. spp. is required before they are definitely assigned to Gentianella. The anthers are versatile, but not as yet properly studied for diagnostic purposes; the frs also are not fully studied, especially as regards the presence or absence of a "stipe". A detailed examination of these features would prove profitable.

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