Marsh Gentian (commonly called and known as English Gentian) is
a plant which must not be confounded with the Gentian Root
commonly sold in our shops under that name, as English Gentian
is an entirely different plant, possessing superior properties
to the ordinary root of the shops. It is a plant which ought to
be far better known than it is at the present time, made more
use of, and kept in every Herbalist's shop in Great Britain. But
I am sorry to say that it is only known to Botanists and a very
few practising Herbalists. However, here is a description of the
plant:—Root tapering to a very fine point, with fine fibres
branching from it, yellow on the outside and greenish white
inside; stem square, from 2 to 10 inches high; leaves sessile,
obtuse; flowers large, deep blue, few on each stem, with five
broad, pale-greenish lines, campanulate, stalked. It is a
perennial, it flowers in July, August, and September, and may be
found in the North of England and Scotland growing in moist
pastures, swamps, and on so