A bottle gentian from George SC

Found this plant blooming today Nov 11, 2013. Might be Gentiana latidens? Found near Fort Mill SC in thick woods, shady, and beside a small creek. Found no record of it in SC in my brief search online.

 

George,

it is, indeed, a gentian.  Gentiana latidens has also been called Gentiana saponaria var. latidens, but you are out of its range – it is found only in the Balsam Mtns of western NC.  The flowers on yours are very wide, and this suggests Gentiana clausa, but, again, I don’t think that reaches SC.  So, I would have to call it Gentiana saponaria which is the most common bottle gentian in the upstate, and the one I usually find there.  Assuming you can open it, here is an article that clarifies the Gentians of the western Carolinas:  http://www.bioone.org/doi/pdf/10.3119/C8-21.1

I hope this helps!

–Steven R. Hill, Ph.D.  SCNPS

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