A genus of annual or perennial (rarely biennial) flowering plants of the family Gentianaceae distributed worldwide in temperate and alpine regions, especially in Europe and Asia, North and South America, and New Zealand. They are especially a notable feature of mountain regions, where the moisture-loving plants have access to underground water in summer and snow cover in winter. Gentian flowers are typically blue (hence “gentian blue”) or purplish blue but may be purple, violet, mauve, yellow, white, or even red; the four or five petals are usually united into a trumpet, funnel, or bell shape.

http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh93006995

Britannica Editors. "gentian". Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Oct. 2013, https://www.britannica.com/plant/gentian. Accessed 2 September 2026.