Gentiana pannonica

Botanical Description

Gentiana pannonica is a stout, herbaceous perennial plant producing a clump of growth with several flowering stems around 15 - 60cm tall[ 239 Title Gentians. Publication Author Köhlein. F. Publisher Christopher Helm. London. Year 1991 ISBN 0-88192-192-0 Description A nice readable book, giving details of habitats and cultural needs for many of the members of this genus, with brief notes on other genera in the family. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a flavouring in alcoholic beverages and a medicine. It is one of several species where the roots are used in the same ways as Gentiana lutea, a well-known and popular herbal remedy that is especially useful as a tonic, stomachic and appetizer, used in treating digestive problems, low energy etc.The plant is also sometimes grown as an ornamental. Gentiana pannonica is a rare plant with a restricted distribution in the Eastern Alps and Bohemian Forest. Sub-populations are isolated and the regeneration of the population is limited due to land use changes, particularly abandonment of pastures. Populations in secondary habitats show reduced genetic variability, which may affect the ability of the species to adapt to changing conditions in future. Changes in land use have also resulted in declines in the quality and quantity of available habitat. It has been threatened by exhaustive over-collection for its medicinal use in the past; it remains unclear if its collection still continues or if it exists in cultivation. The species is threatened in four out of the six countries in which it occurs (Austria, Czech Republic, Germany and Switzerland). It is very rare in Italy, where it is known from only one locality; subpopulations in Slovenia are not declining. The overall population decline has not been quantified, it is known to be declining in parts of its range, but stable in others. It occurs in more than 10 locations but may be considered severely fragmented, as subpopulations are scattered and isolated and seedling establishment limited. It is also difficult to estimate the number of mature individuals, as this species can remain inconspicuous for relatively long periods of time. Based on population surveys across much of its range in the eastern Alps, the population size may be quite low (perhaps as low as 10,000-15,000 mature individuals), but this cannot be confirmed with the information available. The plant is classified as 'Near Threatened' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].pecies(2013)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].