Image of Gentianella pilosa (Wettst.) J. Holub

Description:

Slo.: dlakavi svievec - syn.: Gentiana pilosa Wettst. - Habitat: pasture grazed by sheep, flat terrain, next to river bank; alluvial, calcareous, shallow soil ground, sunny place, high air humidity; exposed to direct rain; average precipitations ~ 3.000 mm/year, average temperature 7-9 deg C, elevation 555 m (1.820 feet), alpine phytogeographical region. - Substratum: soil. - Comments: Gentianella pilosa is a quite rare, sub-endemic plant of Slovenia. It grows only in Slovenian, south most Austrian and west most Italian Alps. Good decade ago Ref.: 5 knew only a single place in the state where it grew. However in the last decade several other locations have been found. Apart of the southeast Alps, the plant can be found in Dinaric Mountains. - Gentianella pilosa can be distinguished from several other species of this quite messy and difficult for determination genus by its long and narrow calyx lobes (1.5 - 3 x longer than calyx tube!), acute sinus (the cleft between two neighboring lobes is tapering with more or less straight sides, not rounded) and distinctly papillate (having nipple-like projections) edges as well as (a decisive trait!) middle rib of the calyx lobes. - The plants photographed in this observation are unusually small, not taller than 5 cm, while their normal height would be from 10 to 35 cm (Ref.:2). Apparently they accommodated to local conditions. The place is grazed by sheep, which keeps all vegetation low. On Fig.26 (bottom, mid-left) one can see a plant which was obviously grazed off with only two flowering stalks left. - Plants were growing scattered; several tens of them were in (late) bloom. - Ref.: (1) J. Greimler, Revision of Gentianella austriaca s.l. and G. rhaetica in Slovenia, Hladnikia, (2010), Vol. 25, pp 3-12. (2) M.A. Fischer, W. Adler, K. Oswald, Exkursionsflora fr sterreich, Liechtenstein und Sdtirol, LO Landesmuseen, Linz, Austria (2005), p 698. (3) A. Martini et all., Mala Flora Slovenije (Flora of Slovenia - Key) (in Slovenian), Tehnina Zaloba Slovenije (2007), p xx. (4) D. Aeschimann, K. Lauber, D.M. Moser, J.P. Theurillat, Flora Alpina, Vol. 2., Haupt (2004), p 28. (5) N. Jogan (ed.), Gradivo za Atlas flore Slovenije (Materials for the Atlas of Flora of Slovenia), CKSF (2001) (in Slovenian), p 178.