''Eustoma exaltatum'', commonly called seaside gentian,Seaside gentian
The Institute for Regional Conservation is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family (

Gentianaceae Gentianaceae is a family of flowering plants of 105 genera and about 1600 species. Etymology The family takes its name from the genus ''Gentiana'', named after the Illyrian king Gentius. Distribution Distribution is cosmopolitan (species), cosm ...

Description

''Eustoma exaltatum'' is an erect herbaceous plant with a glaucous, leafy stem. It produces large, purple, bell-shaped flowers throughout the growing season, peaking in spring through summer. ''

Eustoma russellianum ''Eustoma russellianum'' is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family. One of its previous binomial names was ''Eustoma grandiflorum''. Common names include showy prairie gentian, prairie gentian, Texas bluebells, Texas bluebell, bluebe ...

'' is closely related to ''Eustoma exaltatum'', and in some treatments they are ranked as subspecies, rather than as separate species.

Distribution

It is native to North America, where it found in from the southern

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

and the

West Indies The West Indies is an island subregion of the Americas, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, which comprises 13 independent island country, island countries and 19 dependent territory, dependencies in thr ...

, south to

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

and

Belize Belize is a country on the north-eastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a maritime boundary with Honduras to the southeast. P ...

. Its natural habitat is wet places, such as alkaline marshes, stream beds, and saline coastal areas.''Eustoma exaltatum'' subsp. ''exaltatum''
The Jepson Herbarium It is moderately tolerant of inundation by salt water, and highly tolerant of salt winds.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15548022 Gentianaceae Flora of Mexico Flora of Belize