Arguably the most beautiful gentians in our flora, sometime producing striking displays in fens, wet meadows, and shores. Tiny plants bearing a single flower may sometimes be found, especially very late in the season (October), often after blooming of normal-sized plants, which themselves are quite variable in shape and stature.

1. Principal mid-cauline leaves (those on main stem at or just below the lower branches) ovate to ovate-lanceolate, less than 4 times as long as broad or over 1 cm broad (or usually both).

G. crinita

1. Principal mid-cauline leaves linear to linear-lanceolate, (5-) 6-21 times as long as broad and less than 1 cm at their widest.

G. virgata