Gentianella quinquefolia

Gentianella quinquefolia is a widespread annual or biennial herb occurring in open forests and woods, roadsides, prairies, grassy balds, and wet bluffs of eastern North America from Ontario and Québec Canada south to Georgia and west to Kansas, United States. Threats are not well documented but include development, road maintenance, invasive species, woody plant encroachment into open habitat, deer browse, and other threats in some places. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent, large number of occurrences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, this species is considered secure.

Gentianella quinquefolia occurs in eastern North America from Ontario and Québec Canada south to Georgia and west to Kansas, United States. This is primarily an Appalachian species (Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2024). See individual entries for distribution details about the two varieties. Range extent was estimated to be 1.6 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).

By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1993 and 2024, it is estimated that there are over 300 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).

Although threats are not widely documented, Gentianella quinquefolia is threatened by development, road maintenance, invasive species, woody plant encroachment into open habitat, deer browse, and other threats in some places (NatureServe 2024). However, their overall impact is likely negligible given species' broad range, large number of occurrences, tolerance of light disturbance, and affinity for typically abundant habitats, as well as no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.