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

Rolf Nussbaumer / Rose gentian flowers {Sabatia campestris} Texas, USA.

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.

Guy Edwardes / Autumn gentian (Gentianella amarella). Keen of Hamar Nature Reserve, Unst, Shetland, Scotland, UK. August.

Nick Upton / Lesser or Branched centaury (Centaurium pulchellum) flowering on limestone cliff tops, Majorca south coast, May.

Nick Upton / Lesser or Branched centaury (Centaurium pulchellum) flowering on limestone cliff tops, Majorca south coast, May.

Nick Upton / Lesser or Branched centaury (Centaurium pulchellum) flowering on limestone cliff tops, Majorca south coast, May.

Linda Pitkin / Autumn gentian (Gentianella amarella), in flower, Surrey, England, August.

Linda Pitkin / Lesser centaury (Centaurium pulchellum) in flower, Portland Bill cliff top, Dorset, England, July.

Linda Pitkin / Common centaury (Centaurium erythraea), white variety in flower, Brookwood Cemetery, Surrey, England, August.

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

Steve Nicholls / Early or English gentian (Gentianella anglica) a scarce plant, endemic to England, growing here at Durlston Head in Dorset, England, UK, May.

Steve Nicholls / Early or English gentian (Gentianella anglica) a scarce plant, endemic to England, growing here at Durlston Head, Dorset, England, UK, May.

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.

JIM CLARE / Paramo gentian (Gentianella cerasteroides), high Andes, Azuay, Southern Ecuador.

JIM CLARE / Paramo gentian (Gentianella cerasteroides), high Andes, Azuay, Southern 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

Nick Upton / Common centaury (Centaurium erythraea) flowers, Wiltshire, UK, July.