Pine-barren gentian

Dasystephana porphyrio (J. F. Gmelin) Small; Gentiana porphyrio J. F. Gmelin; G. stoneana Fernald

Herbs perennial, 1.5–5.5 dm, glabrous. Stems 1(–3), terminal from caudex, decumbent to erect. Leaves cauline, gradually more distantly spaced distally; blade linear to narrowly oblan­ceolate, 2–10 cm × 0.5–5 mm, apex obtuse (proximal leaves) to acute. Inflorescences solitary flowers, occa­sionally also terminating 1 or 2 branches, not subtended by bracts. Flowers: calyx 17–40(–53) mm, lobes linear, 10–25(–36) mm, margins not ciliate; corolla deep blue with greenish yellow dots adaxially on lobes or occa­sionally rose-violet or white, funnelform, open, 30–65 mm, lobes spreading, widely ovate, 10–20 mm, free portions of plicae shallowly to deeply divided into 2 subequal, lacerate, attenuate segments; anthers distinct. Seeds winged. 2n = 26.

Flowering fall–early winter (southward). Moist meadows, pine barrens; 0–100 m; N.J., N.C., S.C., Va.

Gentiana autumnalis is believed to have been extir­pated long ago from Delaware and Maryland.

Variation in the number of floral parts, from four to seven per whorl, is more frequent in Gentiana autumnalis than in the other species of Gentiana in the flora area.

There is a record of a hybrid of Gentiana autumnalis with the highly dissimilar G. villosa in North Carolina.