Gentianaceae

1. Gentianaceae Swertia bimaculata

2. The Family • 87 genera • Over 1500 species • Found worldwide • There are trees and shrubs, but mostly herbs • Cultivated as ornamentals • Some species used for medicinal purposes • Species exhibit a wide range of colors and floral patterns Gentiana septemfida

3. Origination • King Gentius of Illyria • Botanical authority: August Grisebach (1836) • Estimated to be approximately 50 million years old

4. Specs • Actinomorphic • Bi-sexual • Tepals • Parietal placentation • Cymose inflorescence • Capsule fruit (sometimes berry) • Plants typically rhizomatous • Bird and insect pollinated, some species also bat pollinated

5. Specs (cont.) • Habit ranges from ascending, to erect or twining stems • Leaves are usually alternate, can be opposite or whorled. • Simple • Entire • Bases connected to stem (connate) • Stipules absent Centaurium erythaea

7. Myco-heterotrophy • Plant parasitizes fungi • Orchids exhibit myco-heterotrophy • Partial myco-heterotroph, can photosynthesize if necessary • Sometimes referred to as ‘mychorrhizal cheaters’ Gentiana lutea

8. Classification Debate • Recent rearrangements • Anthocleista went from Loganiaceae to Gentianaceae • Bartonia also had members in Losaceae family, but they have been changed to the genus Mentzelia • Based on molecular, morphological, and photochemical evidence Anthocleista grandiflora Bartonia virginica

9. Gentian • Type genus of family • Approx. 400 species • Worldwide distribution • Some are evergreen • Polymorphic • Said to have healing powers • Used in alcoholic beverages and, at one time, soda Gentiana asclepiadea

10. G. paradoxa G. asclepiadea G. douglassiana G. pannonica

11. Centaurium • Named after centaur Chiron (Greek mythology) • Many plants in this genus used as folk medicines • C. beyrichii was used by early pioneers to reduce fever • C. erythraea has naturalized in N. America where it was introduced • Members of this genus and Gentianaceae in general contain bitter principles for self-defense C. erythraea

12. Bitter Principles • The bitter principles found in many Gentianaceae are thought to have originated as a self defense mechanism • To humans and animals, it gives a bitter taste to the plant • Has been extracted in the form of ‘Gentian’ • Used in booze, soda, and medicines • Autumn Frog: • 1 oz. Suze • 1 oz. Calvados • 1 oz. French • Vermouth

13. Eustoma • One of the most important ornamental varieties of Gentianaceae • Many cultivars found in floral markets • Can be found in Southern US, as well as other warm regions • Also called Lisanthus, Texas Bluebell, Tulip Gentian, or just Gentian E. grandiflorum

14. E. russelianum E. ????? E. exaltatum

15. Exacum • Nothing special, only included because it looks cool. E. bicolor

16. E. bicolor E. artopurpurem ANTS! E. lawii

17. Macrocarpaea • 105 species with 2 hybrids • Largest genus of tribe Helieae within Gentianaceae • Both diurnal and nocturnal pollinators • Insects, hummingbirds, butterflies, moths, and bats, to name a few • Common name is Moon-Gentian • One of few Gentianaceae genera with hairs on leaves M. apparata

18. Newly Discovered • New species have been discovered as recently as 2006 (submitted ‘07) • M. dies-viridis: found by Harvard students on a 2006 expedition. Named after the band Green Day (dies-viridis = day-green) • M. apparata: named in 2003 for the verb apparata made popular by Harry Potter books. Also submitted by a Harvard affiliate. • M. pringleana: named for Dr. Pringle of the Canadian Royal Botanical Gardens, where he was a plant taxonomist M. sodiroana

19. Insect Pollinators M. sodiroana M. sodiroana M. sodiroana M. sodiroana

20. END

21. Sources • en.wikipedia.org • www.botany.hawaii.edu • www.bunnyhugs.org • www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org • www.hillkeep.ca • www.birdperch.com • www.npwrc.usgs.gov • www.wildflower.utexas.edu • www.gentian.rutgers.edu