Wiregrass gentian

Diploma tenuifolia Rafinesque, Fl. Tellur. 3: 27. 1837, not Gentiana tenuifolia Petrie 1913; Dasystephana tenuifolia (Rafinesque) Pennell; G. autumnalis Linnaeus subsp. pennelliana (Fernald) Halda

Herbs perennial, 0.7–3.5 dm, glabrous. Stem 1, terminal from caudex, decumbent. Leaves all cauline, gradually more distantly spaced distally; blade linear to narrowly oblan­ceolate, 1–3.5 cm × 0.5–5 mm, apex obtuse (proximal leaves) to acute. Inflorescences solitary flowers. Flowers: calyx 18–45 mm, lobes linear, 10–30 mm, margins not ciliate; corolla white with greenish purple lines abaxially on and below lobes, funnelform, open, 35–65 mm, lobes spreading, ovate, 15–25 mm, free portions of plicae deeply divided into 2 subequal, lacerate, attenuate seg­ments; anthers distinct. Seeds winged.

Flowering fall–early spring. Moist, open pine woods; of conservation concern; 0–70 m; Fla.

Gentiana pennelliana is endemic to Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Leon, Liberty, Wakulla, and Walton counties in northern Florida. It usually grows in plant communities in which wiregrass, Aristida stricta, is a prominent component, hence the common name.

Gentiana pennelliana differs further from G. autumnalis in its longer, more gradually flaring corolla tube; the division of the lateral veins of the corolla near the base, so that each petal has five primary veins rather than three as in G. autumnalis and the other Gentiana species in the flora area; and stamens 7–12 mm above their insertion on the corolla tube, as contrasted with 13–30 mm in G. autumnalis.