FLORA OF ICELAND elements: Gentiana nivalis, alpine gentian

Gentiana nivalis; The alpine gentian can generally be found in open grasslands and open heather areas. Although it is a small annual plant it is quite conspicuous and an attractive "little one". The blue flower-form is more common but occasionally one can find white flowering alpine gentians.
Within the Gentian family, the Alpine gentian is the only common Gentiana species on Iceland. Nearly all others belong to the Gentianella genus. Basically one can identify the difference in that Gentiana nivalis has clear appendages within the petals (see photo) whereas Gentianella species can be bearded in the throat of the flower tubulus but they never have appendages between the petals. Also Gentian species usually have 5-petals where Gentianella's usually heve flowers with 4 petal slips. This however is not always so. Occasionally Gentianella's have flowers with 5 petal slips. Lomatogonium rotatum (arctic felwort) has - like Gentiana nivalis - also has a 5-parted corolla but it misses the petal-appendages.
It is a member of the gentian family (Gentianaceae).

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