Gentiana newberryi

Alpine gentian

Family: Gentianaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Alpine gentian is a California native perennial found in high alpine and subalpine areas at elevations of 2,000 to 3,500 meters. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces blue to deep purple flowers with intricate corolla lobes 23 to 55 millimeters long featuring distinctive fringed appendages. Growing with decumbent stems 5 to 10 centimeters tall arising from a caudex, it forms low-growing clusters in rocky mountain environments. Its basal leaves are widely spoon-shaped and rounded, measuring 8 to 50 millimeters long, while upper cauline leaves become progressively narrower and more linear. The delicate flowers emerge in small clusters of 1 to 5, with corolla lobes that have uniquely jagged, thread-like tips creating an intricate botanical display.

California counties: El Dorado, Humboldt, Fresno, Trinity, Tulare, Mono, Inyo, Tuolumne, Amador, Plumas, Siskiyou, Lassen, Sierra, Madera, Placer, Butte, Mariposa, Nevada, Shasta, Tehama, Alpine

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.