Morley Read / Gentian flowers (Gentiana cerastoides) moving in the wind, near Cotopaxi Volcano, Ecuador.

Paul Harcourt Davies,Paul Harcourt Davies / Appennine Trumpet Gentian (Gentiana dinarica) in flower, on roadside below Gran Sasso, Appennines, Abruzzo, Italy, May

Grzegorz Lesniewski / Swallowwort Gentian (Gentiana asclepiadea). Bieszczady National Park, the Carpathians, Poland, September.

Wild Wonders of Europe / Elander / Stemless gentian (Gentiana acaulis) close-up of flower, El Ilempo, Canillo, Andorra, June 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Giesbers / Gentiana orbicularis flowers, Liechtenstein, June 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Giesbers / Stemless gentian (Gentiana acaulis) flowers, Liechtenstein, June 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Giesbers / Spring gentian (Gentiana verna) flower, Liechtenstein, June 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Giesbers / Two Stemless gentian (Gentiana clusii) flowers, Liechtenstein, June 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Giesber / Stemless gentian (Gentiana clusii) flowers, an ant in one of them, Liechtenstein, June 2009. HIGHLY COMMENDED - Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2010.

Wild Wonders of Europe / Giesbers / Stemless gentian (Gentiana clusii) close-up of flower, Liechtenstein, June 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Giesbers / Spring gentian (Gentiana verna) flower, Liechtenstein, June 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Radisics / Spring gentian (Gentiana verna) flowers, Durmitor NP, Montenegro, May 2008

Wild Wonders of Europe / Radisics / Spring gentian (Gentiana verna) flowers, Durmitor NP, Montenegro, May 2008

Paul Harcourt Davies / German gentian (Gentianella germanica) in alpine meadow. Dolomites, Italy. June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Spring gentian (Gentiana verna). Ciampac, Fassa Valley, Dolomites, Trentino, Italy. July.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Trumpet gentian (Gentiana acaulis). Pordoi Pass, Trentino, Dolomites, Italy. June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Spotted gentian (Gentiana punctata) in alpine meadow, mountain in background. Ciampac, Fassa Valley, Dolomites, Trentino, Italy. July 2019.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Bavarian gentian (Gentiana bavarica), mountains of Dolomites in background. Near Colfosco, Badia, South Tyrol, Italy. June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Spring gentian (Gentiana verna), mountains of Dolomites in background. Near Colfosco, Badia, South Tyrol, Italy. June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Spring gentian (Gentiana verna) in mountains. Dolomites, Italy. June 2019.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Spring gentian (Gentiana verna) in mountains. Dolomites, Italy. June 2019.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Trumpet gentian (Gentiana acaulis) in grassland. Pordoi Pass, Dolomites, Trentino, Italy. June.

Steve Nicholls / Spring gentian (Gentiana verna) on Widdybank Fell, Upper Teesdale, Pennines, County Durham, England, UK, June.

Steve Nicholls / Chiltern gentian (Gentianella germanica) is a rare plant, growing in the UK largely on the Chiltern Hills. Buckinghamshire, England, UK, August.

Steve Nicholls / Chiltern gentian (Gentianella germanica) is a rare plant, growing largely on the Chiltern Hills and flowering in late summer or early autumn. Buckinghamshire, England, UK, August.

Andy Sands / Chiltern gentian (Gentianella germanica) close up of flowers, Oxfordshire, England, UK, August - Focus Stacked Image

Andy Sands / Chiltern gentian (Gentianella germanica) close up of flowers, Oxfordshire, England, UK, August - Focus Stacked Image

Konrad Wothe / Blue gentian (Gentiana sp) Alps, Central Europe, May.

Morley Read / Gentian flowers (Gentiana cerastoides) moving in the wind, with small beetle nectaring, near Cotopaxi Volcano, Ecuador.

Morley Read / Gentian flowers (Gentiana cerastoides) moving in the wind, with small beetle nectaring, near Cotopaxi Volcano, Ecuador.

Dong Lei / Gentian (Gentiana urnula) Mt Qomolangma National Park, Qinghai Tibet Plateau, China.

Nick Upton / Pyrenean trumpet gentian (Gentiana occidentalis), an endemic species of northern Spain and the Pyrenees, in bloom on a mountain slope, above the Lakes of Covadonga, Picos de Europa, Asturias, Spain, A...

Konrad Wothe / Gentian (Gentianella germanica) Karwendel mountains, Alps, Austria. September.

Bernard Castelein / Marsh gentian (Gentiana pneumonanthe), Klein Schietveld, Brasschaat, Belgium. July

Bernard Castelein / Marsh gentian (Gentiana pneumonanthe), Klein Schietveld, Brasschaat, Belgium. July

Bruno D'Amicis / Blue gentian (Gentiana dinarica) close-up. Endemic of the Apennines. Abruzzo, Italy. June 2011

Paul Harcourt Davies / Apennine gentian (Gentiana dinarica) growing on scree slope, Gran Sasso, Abruzzo, Italy. April.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Apennine gentian (Gentiana dinarica) growing on scree slope, Gran sasso, Abruzzo, Italy. April.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Triglav gentian (Gentiana terglouensis) above Passo di Falzarego, near Cortina, Dolomites, Veneto, Italy. July 2016,

Paul Harcourt Davies / Triglav gentian (Gentiana terglouensis) Passo di Falzarego, near Cortina, Dolomites, Veneto, Italy. July.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Triglav gentian (Gentiana terglouensis) Mount Terminillo, Lazio, Italy, July.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Apennine trumpet gentian (Gentiana dinarica) on the slopes of Mount Vettore, Umbria, Italy, May.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Bladder gentian (Gentiana utriculosa) flowers. Sibiilini. Castellucio di Norcia, Umbria, Italy, June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Bladder gentian (Gentiana utriculosa) flowers, Sibiilini. Castellucio di Norcia, Umbria, Italy, June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Apennine trumpet gentian (Gentiana dinarica) photographed on the slopes of Mount Vettore, Umbria, Italy, May.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Rhaetian poppy (Papaver rhaeticum) with Triglav gentian (Gentiana terglouensis). Near Refugio Lagazuoi, Passo di Falzarego, near Cortina, Dolomites, Veneto, Italy. July.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Spring Gentian (Gentiana verna) Gran Sasso, Appennines, Abruzzo, Italy

Mike Read / Trumpet gentian (Gentiana acaulis) Vallon de Combeau Vercors Regional Natural Park, Vercors, France, June 2016.