Common Name:

General Information

Gentiana veitchiorum is a low-growing herbaceous perennial plant with many, branched, ascending stems arising from basal rosettes of leaves; it can grow around 5 - 8cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. It is often grown as an ornamental, there are several named varieties[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - central China south to the Himalayas

Habitat

River banks, grassland slopes, alpine meadows, scrub, forests; at elevations from 2,500 - 4,800 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.07 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Gentiana veitchiorum is native to mountainous regions in the temperate zone of the Himalayas, where it can be found at elevations up to 4,800 metres. A rather cold-tolerant plant, when fully dormant it can withstand temperatures down to about -20°c[].
Gentiana species generally grow best when there is ample moisture to the roots in the growing season, but they also require very good drainage[]. Often being native to mountainous regions, they require a certain minimum of atmospheric humidity; a high light intensity; but also a site where temperatures are not too high in the growing season[]. They are therefore more difficult to grow in areas with hot summers and in such a region they appreciate some protection from the strongest sunlight[, ]. This species needs a moist, acid soil, and is not very vigorous - it has proven to be difficult to please in cultivation.
Plants are intolerant of root disturbance[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The plant (part not specified) is used, usually in the form of an infusion, in the treatment of liver jaundice with damp-heat pathogen, as well as for headache and chronic pharyngitis[].

Modern pharmacological studies have shown that the plant can inhibit the LPS induced pulmonary alveolar macrophages TNFalpha expression, the formation of liver fibrosis, and has shown significant antibacterial activity on methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus[].
An extract of the plant has demonstrated significant anti-RSV effect in vitro and in vivo, and improved chronic bronchitis[].
A formula containing the flower has shown certain therapeutic effects against pulmonary injuries induced by bleomycin in rats[].
The plant is also able to protect the liver against carbon tetrachloride-induced damage in mice, and this hepatoprotective effect was due partly to its ability of scavenging free radicals[]

Chemical investigations of the plant have shown that iridoid glycosides and flavone compounds are the main chemical constituents. Gentiopicroside could be one of the most important chemical constituents of the plant[]

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - this species can hybridize so may not always breed true[]. The seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a light position in a cold frame[]. It can also be sown in late winter or early spring but the seed germinates best if given a period of cold stratification and quickly loses viability when stored, with older seed germinating slowly and erratically[, ]. It is advantageous to keep the seed at about 10°c for a few days after sowing, to enable the seed to imbibe moisture[]. Following this with a period of at least 5 - 6 weeks with temperatures falling to between 0 and -5°c will usually produce reasonable germination[]. It is best to use clay pots, since plastic ones do not drain so freely and the moister conditions encourage the growth of moss, which will prevent germination of the seed[]. The seed should be surface-sown, or only covered with a very light dressing of compost. The seed requires dark for germination, so the pots should be covered with something like newspaper or be kept in the dark until germination begins[]. Pot up the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow on in light shade in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. The seedlings grow on very slowly, taking 2 - 7 years to reach flowering size[]. When the plants are of sufficient size, place them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer.
Division in spring[].
Cuttings of non-flowering shoots in early summer[].