Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Gentiana affinis

I finally got out with friends for an almost three-hour botany walk yesterday afternoon, 11 August 2015, at Griffith Woods. There were certain "target" plants on the list, including three species of wild Gentian (one of which is seen in this photo), and one species of Orchid (Rattlesnake Plantain). We had success with all four, which made for a successful outing. So many of the plants are finished already, after blooming two weeks early this year. Whenever I see Asters, I know that the end of our flowering season is coming to an end, which is always depressing. The growing season in Alberta is so very short. The colour of these flowers almost makes one gasp! They are beautiful and look rather like they should be growing in a garden, not in the wild. The petals seem to vary - some plants have plain blue petals, while others, as in this photo, are spotted. This particular plant was a beauty.

I tried HARD to get a decent photo of several of these beautiful Prairie Gentian plants this afternoon, but I just didn't succeed!! Couldn't avoid a messy background and the sun was shining brightly on them. Didn't work taking them in shadow, either : ( It is so unusual to come across these wildflowers and they are such a gorgeous shade of blue, that of course I hoped for a decent shot, even just ONE, LOL. However, I will enjoy that amazing colour.

One of a number of attempts to get a photo of a Prairie Gentian that I'm reasonably happy with. It just doesn't seem to happen with these wildflowers. The petals of this particular plant look more pointed than other Prairie Gentians that I have photographed elsewhere. This plant was growing in Griffith Woods on 2nd August last year (2007).

I came across a couple of plants of Prairie Gentian when I walked near Forgetmenot Pond (end of Elbow Falls Trail, Highway 66, Kananaskis) two days ago. Two other plants were still in bud. I was so glad to see one or two open flowers and had intended getting a half-decent photo, which didn't quite happen. Will have to try a different angle when I next go out there. I like the little spots on the petals.

There are 300 species of Gentiana in the world, mainly in temperate and arctic regions. This is the Prairie Gentian, which we see in various places within the city.

"Gentiana is named for Gentius, a king of Ilyria (a coastal region of the Adriatic Sea) who recognized the medicinal properties of this plant, curing a fever that was affecting his army" (from "Wildflowers of Alberta" by Kathleen Wilkinson - an extremely good book, which I use all the time!).