Gentiana pannonica

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Hungarian gentian
Gentiana pannonica (9896542693).jpg
Hungarian gentian (Gentiana pannonica)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Gentianaceae
Genus: Gentiana
Species:
G. pannonica
Binomial name
Gentiana pannonica

Gentiana pannonica, the Hungarian gentian or brown gentian (German : Ostalpen-Enzian, Pannonischer Enzian, Ungarischer Enzian or Ungarn-Enzian [2] ), is a species of flowering plant of the genus Gentiana in the family of Gentianaceae.

Contents

Description

Illustration from Deutschlands Flora in Abbildungen nach der Natur Deutschlands flora in abbildungen nach der natur (13085327145).jpg
Illustration from Deutschlands Flora in Abbildungen nach der Natur
Flower detail Gentiana pannonica (Ostalpen-Enzian) IMG 29162.JPG
Flower detail
Habit: leaves and flowers opposite Gentiana pannonica (Ostalpen-Enzian) IMG 3365.JPG
Habit: leaves and flowers opposite

Description

The Hungarian gentian is a perennial, herbaceous plant, which grows to a height of 20 to 60 centimetres. All the above-ground parts of the plant are hairless. Its stem is upright and strong.

The five to seven-veined leaves are decussate. The lower leaves are petiolate and elliptic in shape; the upper ones are sessile and lanceolate.

The Hungarian gentian flowers from July to September. Its flowers are located in the upper leaf axils or grouped at the end of the stem.

The hermaphroditic flowers are radially symmetrical with double perianths. The green sepals are fused. The calyx is bell-shaped and has five to eight outward curving teeth. The bell-shaped corolla is 25 to 50 millimetres long. It is wider at the top and, towards the middle, has five to nine petals. The corolla tip is ovate. On their outer side, the petals are red and violet with black and red spots, the inside is usually yellowish.

Its chromosome count is 2n = 40. [3]

Taxonomy

The first publication of Gentiana pannonica was by Giovanni Antonio Scopoli. The species epithet pannonica derives from the Roman province of Pannonia. Synonyms for Gentiana pannonica SCOP. are: Gentiana semifida HOFFMANSS. EX RCHB. and Coilantha pannonica G.DON.

Similar species

The Hungarian gentian is very similar to the purple gentian (Gentiana purpurea).

Distribution and habitat

Range

The Hungarian gentian is found in the Eastern Alps, Bergamasque Alps, Carpathians and Transylvania. The western boundary of the gentian (Allgäu, eastern Switzerland) is coincident with the eastern boundary of the purple gentian.

In Austria the Hungarian gentian is scattered to moderately common (e.g. on the Krippenstein/Dachstein). It does not occur in Vienna or the Burgenland. In Germany it occurs in the alms of the Bavarian Forest, including within the Bavarian Forest National Park.

Habitat

The Hungarian gentian thrives best on calcareous soil, but also on soils poor in calcium. It occurs in Central Europe in perennial meadows and cirques, bogs and mountain pine bush. The Hungarian gentian is a character species of the Nardion community, but also occurs in plant communities of the sub-group rhododendro-vaccinienion. [3]

Uses and conservation

The Hungarian gentian is an old medicinal herb and is used like the yellow gentian. Because it was intensively used in former times, its stocks shrank to just small residual populations. As a result, the IUCN placed it in the "near threatened" category. [4] For the conservation of this species habitat management plans were created or adjusted.

Related Research Articles

<i>Gentiana</i> Genus of flowering plants in the family Gentianaceae

Gentiana is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the gentian family (Gentianaceae), the tribe Gentianeae, and the monophyletic subtribe Gentianinae. With about 400 species, it is considered a large genus. Gentians are notable for their mostly large trumpet-shaped flowers, which are often of an intense blue hue.

<i>Gentiana acaulis</i> Species of plant

Gentiana acaulis, the stemless gentian, or trumpet gentian, is a species of flowering plant in the family Gentianaceae, native to central and southern Europe, from Spain east to the Balkans, growing especially in mountainous regions, such as the Alps and Pyrenees, at heights of 800–3,000 m (2,625–9,843 ft).

<i>Leontopodium nivale</i> Species of plant

Leontopodium nivale, commonly called edelweiss, is a mountain flower belonging to the daisy or sunflower family Asteraceae. The plant prefers rocky limestone places at about 1,800–3,400 metres (5,900–11,200 ft) altitude. It is non-toxic and has been used in traditional medicine as a remedy against abdominal and respiratory diseases. Its leaves and flowers are covered with dense hairs, which appear to protect the plant from cold, aridity, and ultraviolet radiation. It is a scarce, short-lived flower found in remote mountain areas and has been used as a symbol for alpinism, for rugged beauty and purity associated with the Alps and Carpathians. It is a national symbol of several countries, specifically Romania, Bulgaria, Austria, Slovenia, Switzerland, and Italy. According to folk tradition, giving this flower to a loved one is a promise of dedication.

<i>Gentiana lutea</i> Species of plant

Gentiana lutea, the great yellow gentian, is a species of gentian native to the mountains of central and southern Europe.

<i>Gentiana verna</i> Species of flowering plant in the gentian family Gentianaceae

Gentiana verna, the spring gentian, is a species of flowering plant in the family Gentianaceae, and one of its smallest members, normally only growing to a height of a few centimetres.

<i>Gentiana clusii</i> Species of plant

Gentiana clusii, commonly known as flower of the sweet-lady or Clusius' gentian, is a large-flowered, short-stemmed gentian, native to Europe. It is named after Carolus Clusius, one of the earliest botanists to study alpine flora.

<i>Gentiana nivalis</i> Species of plant

Gentiana nivalis, the snow gentian or Alpine gentian, is a species of the genus Gentiana. It grows to a height of 3–15 centimetres.

<i>Gentiana andrewsii</i> Species of plant

Gentiana andrewsii, the bottle gentian, closed gentian, or closed bottle gentian, is an herbaceous species of flowering plant in the gentian family Gentianaceae. Gentiana andrewsii is native to northeastern North America, from the Dakotas to the East Coast and through eastern Canada.

<i>Gentianella</i> Genus of plants

Gentianella is a plant genus in the gentian family (Gentianaceae). Plants of this genus are known commonly as dwarf gentians.

<i>Cirsium eriophorum</i> Species of plant

Cirsium eriophorum, the woolly thistle, is a herbaceous biennial species of flowering plant in the genus Cirsium of the family Asteraceae. It is widespread across much of Europe. It is a large biennial plant with sharp spines on the tips of the leaves, and long, woolly hairs on much of the foliage. The flower heads are large and nearly spherical, with spines on the outside and many purple disc florets but no ray florets.

<i>Gentianella amarella</i> Species of plant

Gentianella amarella, the autumn gentian, autumn dwarf gentian, or autumn felwort, is a short biennial plant flowering plant in the gentian family, Gentianaceae. It is found throughout Northern Europe, the western and northern United States, and Canada.

<i>Gentiana setigera</i> Species of plant

Gentiana setigera is a species of gentian known by the common name Mendocino gentian. It is native to southern Oregon and northern California where it grows in wet places in the California Coast Ranges. It grows in serpentine soils.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gentian liqueur</span> Alcoholic drink

Gentian liqueur is a clear liqueur produced using the roots of the gentian plant.

<i>Blauer Enzian</i>

The Blauer Enzian is a named express train service that currently runs between Frankfurt in Germany and Klagenfurt in Austria. Introduced in 1951, it originally ran via the German North–South railway line between Hamburg and Munich. Labelled as an international Trans Europ Express (TEE) train, it also linked with Zell am See and Klagenfurt in Austria from 1969. Trains were operated by the Deutsche Bundesbahn (DB) and its Deutsche Bahn successor, from 1970 also by the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB).

<i>Gentiana bavarica</i> Species of plant

Gentiana bavarica, the Bavarian gentian, is a herbaceous perennial species of flowering plant in the Gentian family Gentianaceae.

<i>Gentiana punctata</i> Species of plant

Gentiana punctata, the spotted gentian, is a least concern herbaceous species of flowering plant in the Gentian family Gentianaceae. It grows in Central and Southeastern Europe at altitudes 1.500−2.600 meters. It is 20−60 cm tall.

<i>Gentiana froelichii</i> Species of plant

Gentiana froelichii, commonly known as the Karawanken gentian, is an endemic hemicryptophyte and perennial plant species in the family Gentianaceae, which occurs in southeastern Alps. It can be found in Austria and Slovenia, with a few reported occurrences happening in Italy.

<i>Vicia grandiflora</i> Species of plant

Vicia grandiflora, commonly known as large yellow vetch and bigflower vetch, as well as large-flowered vetch, is a common herbaceous plant species in the family Fabaceae, which occurs as a native plant species in Europe and Asia, as well as an introduced vetch species in North America.

<i>Gentianella praecox</i> Species of plant

Gentianella praecox, the Bohemian gentian, is a flowering plant species belonging to the genus Gentianella in the family Gentianaceae. Its distribution is limited to the territory of the Bohemian Massif.

<i>Gentiana alpina</i>

Gentiana alpina is a plant species from the Gentiana genus in the family Gentianaceae.

References

  1. Khela, S. (2013). "Gentiana pannonica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2013: e.T203220A2762403. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-2.RLTS.T203220A2762403.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. Gentiana pannonica Scop., Ungarn-Enzian. In: FloraWeb.de.
  3. 1 2 Erich Oberdorfer (2001). Pflanzensoziologische Exkursionsflora für Deutschland und angrenzende Gebiete: Unter Mitarbeit von Angelika Schwabe und Theo Müller (in German) (8th, heavily revised and expanded ed.). Stuttgart (Hohenheim): Eugen Ulmer. p. 755. ISBN   3-8001-3131-5.
  4. S. Khela (2017). "Gentiana pannonica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017.

Literature