World wide the Gentian family has some 70 genera and about 1,000 species. The Escambia region is host to 15 of them and most reside near seashore or in cypress bogs on the Coastal Plain. Most members of the family are found in differing habitats in temperate and sub-tropical regions. Many are cultivated as ornamentals.

Generally, the plants are recognized as being leafy herbs with showy trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom in clusters at the end of branches. All flowers have four sepals (modified leaves), four of five petals that may be joined or separated and an equal number of stamens; leaves are opposite on the stem.

Extracts from plants of the Gentian family are used in numerous over-the-counter lotions, salves and rinses; toothpaste, mouthwash, ear drops (gentian violet).

Rose Pink is a marsh or prairie plant that seems to do equally well on the hillside or in the valley. Expect it to enter its flowering cycle in the warmer part of summer and to remain in bloom until early autumn. Its habitat is generally considered to be moist meadows but it is known to stray afar when looking for a place to put down roots. The plant is an annual that doesn't take well to transplanting so harvesting seeds is by far the best method to get it established in your butterfly garden. A second Rose Pink (sometimes called Rose Gentian) is S. brachiata. The difference between the two is S. campestris has leaves with short leaf stalks while S. brachiata does not; difficult to distinguish unless the plants are closely scrutinized.

Early Gentian is one of those over-looked plants as they flower in early spring long before most plants have felt the warm sunshine. Look to peat and cypress bogs for these perennials, which leaf will most likely never be seen as the tiny flower peeks above the surrounding vegetation to send up a short flower stalk. Look closely at the picture and then imagine that five blossoms are cluster onto one young leaf of Sweet Bay. Each is about the size of a pencil eraser. Also note that these tiny have four of everything; always equal numbers of sepals, petals and stamens. The flower of Early Gentian is often confused with that of Sundew.

There are significant differences in the pinks pictured above. The 10-petal Rose Gentian is obvious and will need no clarification. But look directly into the center of the the 5-petal Rose Gentian and the 5-petal Marsh Pink. Note that stellaris has a reddish circle around the yellow base. The red circle is sometimes outlined with a circle of white. Grandiflora does not have the red outline but is highlighted by a broad band of white.

S. dodecandra has some competition in the Escambia region; S. bartramii and S. gentianoides. The differences are so subtle it would be necessary to get to one's knees to discerne those differences. Suffice it to say, dodecandra seen above has leaves that are lance-like to oblong from base to apex and its flowers are not supported by leafy bracts. Bartramii has leaves that are opposite on the stem, no leaf stalk; lower leaves are spreading and spatula-like and upper leaves clasp the stem (sometimes scale-like); the individual flower petals have a yellow spot that is bordered by a red line (see below); gentianoides is similar to bartramii but the flowers are supported by leafy bracts and stem leaves are linear and clasping.

Sampson's Snakeroot is often passed over in favor of the Bottle Gentian, S. saponaria, but there is no possiblity one could pass over this low bloomer.

Beautiful Gentian is briefly mentioned in Dean's book Wildflowers of Alabama and Adjoining States. In that reference it is given such scant mention as to seem insignificant.