[Illustration: MOUNTAIN PINK]
Leaves opposite; calyx usually tubular, 5-lobed; petals united at base,
4-12; stamens as many as petals; ovary superior.
Mountain Pink. Showy Centaury (_Erythraea beyrichii_) grows on gravelly
limestone hills in Texas and Arkansas. The stems are branched near the
base and often form hemispherical clumps a foot in diameter which are
covered with pink flowers in June. The plants are being rapidly
exterminated for ornamental purposes, for they are very showy and the
flowers will last two weeks or more. The flowers have a united tubular
corolla with 5 lobes.
The scientific name is from the Greek meaning “red.” The flowers of some
species are red, but those in Texas are pink. The Texan centaury
(_Erythraea texense_) is a very small plant with small flowers. It is
found from Texas to Missouri in June and July. Buckley’s centaury or
pink gentian (_Erythraea calycosa_) is found in moist soil in the
western part of the state. It is a tall, slender plant 1-2 ft. high. It
ranges from Missouri to Mexico. The centaury plants were formerly valued
as a medicine for fever. They were gathered and dried at flowering time.
[Illustration: PURPLE GENTIAN. BLUEBELL]
Purple Gentian. Bluebell (_Eustoma russellianum_) is also called
Russell’s eustoma, Texas bluebell, blue gentian, blue marsh lily, and
bosque blue gentian. The latter name is used in El Paso, where the
purple gentian grows on the flood plain of the Rio Grande River. It is
one of the loveliest flowers in the state, sometimes occurring in great
profusion on moist prairies from Mexico to Colorado and Louisiana. It is
especially abundant in Southeast Texas, where it is gathered in
wholesale quantities by florists. It is an excellent cut-plant, the
flowers lasting for several days and new buds continually opening.
Few people have had success in transplanting the purple gentian into
their gardens. Only recently has there been a report of seeds
successfully germinated. It is said that soaking for 48 hours in water
will produce germination. Each flower produces a number of very minute
seeds.
The large, bell-shaped flowers, 2-3 inches broad, are a bluish-purple;
in fading, they spread widely and take on more of the blue tinge. They
are constricted into a short narrow tube at the base. Inside, the
flowers are marked with yellow at the base and have purple markings in
the throat. The five stamens with large anthers are attached to the
corolla tube. At the time the pollen is shed, the anthers lie in a
horizontal position around the style. The stigmas are interesting. There
are two diamond-shaped lobes which are erect until they are ready to
receive pollen, and then they take a horizontal position. The calyx has
five linear lobes which are united at the base with a colorless
membrane. The oblong capsules are about half an inch long.
The plants are very smooth and are erect, with a few erect branches. The
leaves are ovate-oblong and are usually 1-2½ inches long.
“Eustoma” means “open mouth”, referring to the large throat of the
flower. The smaller bluebell in Southern Texas and Northern Mexico is
_Eustoma gracile_.
[Illustration: PINK TEXAS STAR]
Pink Texas Star. Prairie Sabbatia (_Sabbatia campestris_) is also known
as meadow pink, rose pink, pink prairie gentian, marsh pink, and sea
star. It ranges from Missouri and Kansas to Texas and is found on moist
prairies throughout Central Texas from April to June. It is particularly
abundant on southern coastal prairies where it makes a showy landscape
display with phlox, coreopsis, and other plants in March and April. The
sabbatias are named in honor of two Italian botanists, L. and C.
Sabbati.
The plants are low, 3-12 inches high, and have wing-angled stems and
short smooth leaves about ½-1¼ inches long. The flowers are about 1½
inches broad, much larger than those of the mountain pink, and more
cup-shaped. They are usually deep pink in color, but purplish-pink and
white forms may occasionally be noted. Around the throat are yellow,
star-shaped markings over the white base of the petals. The long, linear
calyx lobes are quite conspicuous when the flower is in bud or after the
corolla has wilted.