SURVEY OF YELLOW GENTIAN POPULATIONS OF THE CENTRAL ALPS AND RECORD OF THEIR MAIN MORPHOLOGICAL AND QUALITATIVE CHARACTERISTICS

Abstract

The roots of Gentiana lutea L. are rich in bitter substances and have been harvested for centuries for the preparation of bitters, liqueurs and remedies for digestive conditions. This exploitation has led to a gradual decline in its populations, which are now both protected and listed in Red Data Books in many countries. This paper is based on a survey carried out during the summer of 2007 at five sites in the Italian Central Alps: four in the province of Trento (Monte Bondone, Passo Coe, Passo di Tremalzo and Monte Peller) and the fifth in Vicenza (the uplands of Asiago). The sites were described in detail (altitude, exposure, latitude, longitude, soil, etc.), and a series of descriptors of both plants and flowers were recorded. The thousand seed weight (T.S.W.) and germination rate of seed samples were established, and the amarogentin content (0.03-0.1%) of the roots was measured. According to the descriptors recorded the four populations of the Trento province belonged to the subsp. vardjanii, while that of Vicenza belonged to the subsp. symphyandra.