Gentiana verna
Gentiana verna | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Gentianales |
Family: | Gentianaceae |
Genus: | Gentiana |
Species: | G. verna
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Binomial name | |
Gentiana verna |
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.
The short stem supports up to three opposing pairs of elliptical or lanceolate leaves. The conspicuous vivid blue (sometimes purplish-red or rarely white)
Distribution
G. verna is one of the most widespread gentians, found on sunny
Symbolism
It is the county flower of Durham in the United Kingdom.[2] It was first found in Britain by the botanist John Harriman.[3]
A drawing of Gentiana verna by Holly Somerville is the logo for the botany department in Trinity College Dublin.[4]
Gentiana verna appeared on the design of a Great Britain stamp, issued in 1964 to mark the 10th International Botanical Congress held in Edinburgh.
Writer and botanist
The flower is associated with the Alps, and gave its name to the trans-Alpine Blauer Enzian ("Blue Gentian") express train between Germany and Austria.[5]
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7200-0423-6.
- ^ Plantlife website County Flowers page Archived 2015-04-30 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Stephen, Leslie; Lee, Sidney, eds. (1890). . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 24. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
- ^ "plant sciences at Trinity College Dublin". blogspot.ie. Archived from the original on 4 June 2016. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
- ^ "Buy flowers online". Saturday, 24 August 2019