Gentiana austromontana J.S. Pringle & Sharp. Section: Pneumonanthe. Blue Ridge Gentian. Phen: Aug-Oct. Hab: Mountain forests and grassy balds, especially at medium to high elevations, but descending to ca. 600 m (2200 feet). Dist: A Southern Appalachian endemic: s. WV and sw. VA south to w. NC and ne. TN.

ID notes: The flowers of G. austromontana are usually a deeper and more intense blue-violet than the similar G. clausa and G. decora. See Pringle & Sharp (1964) for additional discussion.

Origin/Endemic status: Endemic

Synonymy ⓘ: = C, FNA14, K1, K3, K4, Tn, Va, W, WV, Drake (2011), Halda (1996), Ho & Liu (2001), Pringle & Weakley (2009), Pringle (1967a); < Dasystephana decora (Pollard) Small – S; < Gentiana clausa Raf. – F, G, GW2, RAB

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Midwest: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Northcentral & Northeast: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)

Heliophily ⓘ: 5