Greater Fringed-gentian

Gentianopsis crinita

Ecology & Conservation

Proximity Score: 0
Native Status: ✅ Outaouais ✅ Ottawa ✅ QC ✅ ON
Closest Direction: Local
CEC Eco-Regions: 5 – Northern Forests, 5.2 – Mixed Wood Shield, 5.2.3 – Algonquin/Southern Laurentians
Rarity Notes: Secure in Ontario (S5) but imperiled in Quebec (S2), reflecting significant population declines on the Quebec side. Not listed under SARA or COSEWIC. NatureServe global rank G5 and IUCN Least Concern. Quebec populations are concentrated in the southwestern part of the province, with 17 herbarium specimens documented primarily from the Huntingdon-St-Anicet corridor and the Outaouais. The species' biennial lifecycle and dependence on open, calcareous wetland habitats make it vulnerable to drainage and succession.
S22 S26 S54
Rarity Ranks: QC S2 – Imperiled, ON S5 – Secure
Migration: Stable
Ecological Context: Fringed gentian inhabits wet meadows, fens, moist prairies, alvars, and stream banks, typically on calcareous substrates. In the Ottawa-Gatineau region, herbarium specimens document it on alvar riverain on marble, open rocky barrens over limestone, and edges of cedar swamps. It favours seepy, saturated soils in partial to full sun and often colonizes open disturbed ground near high-quality wetlands. Its biennial life history and obligate seed reproduction make it sensitive to mowing and habitat loss.
S6 S7 S48 S10

Roles: Fortress/Barrier
S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fortress/Barrier: S61 keyword match: thorns? (supporting signal only)]

Category: Blood Medicine, Gastrointestinal Aid
S28 Moerman categories: Blood Medicine (Delaware, Rappahannock), Gastrointestinal Aid (Delaware)
Notes: Used medicinally by the Delaware and Rappahannock peoples. The Delaware prepared an infusion of roots as a blood purifier and stomach strengthener. The Rappahannock used it as an ingredient in a blood medicine compound. The broader gentian family is renowned for bitter tonic principles, and European species of Gentiana have a long pharmacological history as digestive bitters, but specific phytochemical data for G. crinita are lacking.
S28 S4

❌ Not Edible

Foraging Notes: No food uses documented. Moerman's Native American Ethnobotany records only medicinal uses for this species (blood medicine, gastrointestinal aid); no food category entries exist. The plant belongs to the gentian family, whose members are generally intensely bitter.
S28