Many handsome Gentian species occur in high mountain areas. Much research has been done on animal adaptations to the harsh conditions of high elevation habitats but less is known about the many species of plants that live at these heights. Most members of this genus are adapted to the contrasting conditions of very cold winters and long summer days. The delicate petals with feathery appendages superficially look ill-suited for the harsh seasonal climate. They thrive, however, in vast mountain meadows that John Muir called "gentian meadows".
DISTRIBUTION: Wet mountain meadows and slopes from the Klamath and High Cascade Ranges to the High Sierra Nevada; 1300-3900 m.
