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

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

Paul Harcourt Davies / Spotted gentian (Gentiana punctata) in flower, above Pordoi pass, Dolomites. Italy, July

Paul Harcourt Davies / Trumpet Gentian (Gentiana acaulis) in flower, Monte Spinale, alpine zone, Madonna di Campiglio, Brenta Dolomites, Italy, July

Paul Harcourt Davies / Trumpet Gentian (Gentiana acaulis) in flower, Monte Spinale, alpine zone, Madonna di Campiglio, Brenta Dolomites, Italy, July

Paul Harcourt Davies / Trumpet Gentian (Gentiana acaulis) in flower, Monte Spinale, alpine zone, Madonna di Campiglio, Brenta Dolomites, Italy, July

Paul Harcourt Davies / Bladder gentian (Gentiana utriculosa) in flower, Mount Vettore, Sibillini, Umbria, Italy, June

Paul Harcourt Davies / Appennine Trumpet Gentian (Gentiana dinarica) in flower, white form, Mount Vettore,Sibillini, Appennines, Le Marche, Italy, May

Paul Harcourt Davies / Appennine Trumpet Gentian (Gentiana dinarica) in flower, white form, Mount Vettore,Sibillini, Appennines, Le Marche, Italy, May

Paul Harcourt Davies / Appennine Trumpet Gentian (Gentiana dinarica) in flower, Mount Vettore, Sibillini, Appennines, Le Marche, Italy, May

Paul Harcourt Davies / Appennine Trumpet Gentian (Gentiana dinarica) in flower, Mount Vettore, Sibillini, Appennines, Le Marche, Italy, May.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Appennine Trumpet Gentian (Gentiana dinarica) in flower, Mount Vettore, Sibillini, Appennines, Le Marche, Italy, June

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

Alex Hyde / Trumpet / Stemless Gentian (Gentiana acaulis) Aosta Valley, Monte Rosa Massif, Pennine Alps, Italy. July.

Alex Hyde / Trumpet / Stemless Gentian (Gentiana acaulis) growing amongst rocks in Aosta Valley, Monte Rosa Massif, Pennine Alps, Italy. July.

Alex Hyde / Spring Gentian (Gentiana verna) flowering on mountainside in Aosta Valley, Monte Rosa Massif, Pennine Alps, Italy. July.

Alex Hyde / Spring Gentian (Gentiana verna) floweing on mountainside in Aosta Valley, Monte Rosa Massif, Pennine Alps, Italy. July.

Alex Hyde / Spring Gentian (Gentiana verna) floweing on mountainside in Aosta Valley, Monte Rosa Massif, Pennine Alps, Italy. July.

Alex Hyde / Trumpet / Stemless Gentian (Gentiana acaulis) Aosta Valley, Monte Rosa Massif, Pennine Alps, Italy. July.

Juan Manuel Borrero / Gentian (Gentiana ciliata) in flower, Pyrenees, Barcelona Province, Spain, October

Juan Manuel Borrero / Gentian (Gentiana pyrenaica) Pyrenees, Lleida Province, Spain, July

MYN / Marko Masterl / Willow gentian (Gentiana asclepiadea) in flower, Kocevje, Slovenia, August, meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Clay Bolt / Soapwort gentian (Gentiana saponaria) South Carolina, USA, October. meetyourneighbours.net project

Konstantin Mikhailov / Alpine flowers (gentians) after snow storm, Hohe Tauern National Park, Austria, Europe, May

Alex Hyde / Trumpet / Stemless gentian (Gentiana acaulis) in flower on mountainside, Nordtirol, Austrian Alps, 2300 metres, June.

Konrad Wothe / Gentian and Primula flowering in meadow. Upper Bavaria, Germany, May.

Robert Thompson / Stemless gentian (Gentiana acaulis) flowering in alpine meadow, Gran Sasso Monti Della Laga National Park, Abruzzo, Italy, May

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

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

Wild Wonders of Europe / Lesniewski / Swallowwort gentian (Gentiana asclepiadea), Halicz and Krzemien Peaks in the background. Bieszczady, Carpathian Mountains, Poland, September 2009.

Bruno D'Amicis / Willow Gentian (Gentiana asclepiadea). West Tatras, Slovakia, September.

Lynn M Stone / Fringed Gentian (Gentiana crinita) flowering in Midwestern fen, these flowers remain "wrapped" like a tight scarf until the sun strikes them, at which time they unfurl, as this one is doing, Batavia,...

Lynn M Stone / Bottle Gentian (Gentiana andrewsii) flowering in tallgrass prairie remnant, Downers Grove, Illinois, USA

Paul Harcourt Davies / Trumpet gentian (Gentiana dinarica) flowering on limestone scree in the Simbruini Mountains NP, Apennines, Italy.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Trumpet gentian (Gentiana dinarica) flowering on limestone scree in the Simbruini Mountains NP, Apennines, Italy.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Trumpet gentian (Gentiana dinarica) flowering on limestone scree in the Simbruini Mountains NP, Apennines, Italy.

Wild Wonders of Europe / Giesbers / RF- Gentiana orbicularis flowers, Liechtenstein. June. (This image may be licensed either as rights managed or royalty free.)

Inaki Relanzon / Pyrenian Gentian (Gentiana pyrenaica). Vallee d' Eyne Reserve Naturel, Haute Cerdagne, Pyrenees Orientales, Languedoc Roussillon, France. June

Inaki Relanzon / Pyrenees Gentian (Gentiana pyrenaica). Vallee d' Eyne Reserve Naturel, Haute Cerdagne, Pyrenees Orientales, Languedoc Roussillon, France. July

Wild Wonders of Europe / Benvie / Field gentian (Gentiana campestris) in flower, Naturpark Kaunergrat, Tirol, Austria, July 2008

Wild Wonders of Europe / Schandy / (Gentiana sp) in flower, Mount Cheget, Caucasus, Russia, Mountain plant, June 2008

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Gentian flowers {Gentiana sp} in the High Tatra Mountains, plateau with flowers, Slovakia

Philippe Clement / Trumpet gentian flowers {Gentiana kochiana} Gran Paradiso NP, Alps, Italy

Paul Johnson / Milkweed gentian {Gentiana sp} Kronkose NP, Czech republic

Paul Johnson / Milkweed gentian {Gentiana sp} Kronkose NP, Czech republic