Feature Article September 18, 2002
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Gentian BlueNature gives us a diversity of colour - bright, dull, muted, intense, pale, vibrant - everywhere - in the sky, in the waters, on the birds, the trees and the flowers. But one of the most vibrant of colours is found in two members of the gentian family in our area - the Fringed Gentian, and the Closed or Bottle Gentian, both of which are blooming at this time of year - among the last wildflowers to bloom in late summer and fall.
Since about 1000 A.D. the gentian has been written about, both for its beauty and for its medicinal uses. It is named after Gentius, a king of ancient Illyria, who, according to Plato, was first to recognize its medicinal value. The roots of the plants are used as they contain bitter alkaloids and have long been used to flavour tonics, teas, wines, and syrups. It is used for a variety of medical conditions including stimulating the appetite, but should not be used if ulcers or acute gastric infections are present. A large overdose can cause stomach irritation, nausea and vomiting. Externally it has been used to treat wounds.The Closed or Bottle Gentian opens only very slightly, during the middle part of a warm, sunny day to allow pollination. Only large Bumblebees which are strong enough to push the petals open and crawl inside have access to the nectar and pollen and are the main pollinators of the plant. There is a childrens story about the flower which selfishly would not open to shelter a fairy, so was ordained to remain closed. But another flower which did open was rewarded with a fringe - the Fringed Gentian.. The Fringed Gentian is one of the most beautiful of the gentians, with its delicately fringed petals, and striking colour. It is becoming rare and should not be picked.
Both of these plants are found in moist areas, such as ditches, wet thickets, banks of streams or ponds, or wet meadows, usually not in many numbers. Another member of the gentian family is the Plymouth Gentian, found in Canada only in Nova Scotia and endangered in that area. Another endangered member of the family is the White Prairie Gentian found in small numbers in southern Ontario. Poet William Cullen Bryant shares his feelings about the beauty of the Fringed Gentian in his poem: Thou blossom! Bright with autumn dew And coloured with heavens own blue That openest when the quiet light Succeeds the keen and frosty night Then doth thy sweet and quiet eye look through its fringes to the sky, Blue, blue, as if the sky let fall A flower from its cerulean wall.Observations: Share your sightings - call Jean Griffin at 268-2518.
