Gentianopsis holopetala

Sierra gentian, Sierra Gentian

Family: Gentianaceae · Type: annual · Native

Sierra gentian is a California native annual found in central and western Sierra Nevada and White and Inyo Mountains in wet meadows at elevations of 1,800 to 4,000 meters. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces delicate flowers 20 to 55 millimeters long with pale blossoms. Growing with stems that range from partially decumbent to erect and reaching 3 to 45 centimeters tall, it has a delicate branching structure. Its leaves are distinctive, with lower basal leaves spoon-shaped and up to 70 millimeters long, while upper stem leaves become progressively narrower and lance-elliptic to linear in shape. The plant's unique flower structure features a calyx 14 to 36 millimeters long, creating an elegant profile in high-elevation mountain meadows.

Habitat: Wet meadows

Bloom period: Jul-Sep

Elevation: 1800-4000 m

Bioregions: c&amps SNH, W&ampI

California counties: Inyo, Fresno, Tulare, Mono, Tuolumne, Madera, Mariposa, Plumas, El Dorado

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