photos of animals on gentians
animals living on associated with gentians

Butterflies:

The larvae of the butterfly Gynnidomorpha permixtana feeds on Gentiana in Europe and Asia.

The larvae of the fritillary Mellicta variais is reported to feed on Gentiana.

The caterpillar of the rare Alcon blue butterfly Maculinea alcon is initially feeding on Gentianella pneumonanthe. It has a very complicated and interesting life history that involves being parasites in ant nests.

Moths:

The caterpillar of several species of Stenoptilia (a moth) feeds on the flowers of Blackstonia, Centaurium, Eustoma, Gentiana, and Gentianella species.

The caterpillar of Grammia quenseli feeds on the flowers of Gentiana species.

The hawk-moth Ocnogyna parasita is known to feed on Gentiana.

The pug Eupithecia satyrata is living on Gentianella.

The caterpillar of the moth Aethes aurofasciana, is reported to have Gentianella clusii as host-plant.

Falseuncaria ruficiliana is reported to feed on Gentianella verna.

Beetles:

Epicauta pensylvanica (Black Blister Beetle) has been found eating on flowers of Gentiana  puberulenta and G. saponaria, and smaller beetles can force themselves into its flowers to eat the pollen (link).

Ants:

Ants are often seen on the calyces of Chelonanthus plants (photo), and also live inside the hollow stems of Tachia.  They also visit the calyces of Anthocleista, which has extrafloral nectaries. In Swertia flowers, they visit the corolline nectaries, situated on the inner side of the petals.

Mammals:

The giant panda eats gentians, but its main diet is bamboo leaves.

Deers have been reported to eat bottle gentians in North America, despite their bitter taste (Gentiana andrewsii and related species).

Nematodes and other soil critters:

Root-knot nematode damage caused by Meloidogyne javanica can be found in Eustoma.

Fungi:

Pyrenochaeta gentianicola and P. terrestris (Ascomycota) causes pink root rot on Gentiana scabra var. buergeri.

Phoma gentianae-sino-ornatae (Deuteromycota) causes root rot in Gentiana sino-ornata (Punithalingam & Harling, 1993).

Bacteria:

Viruses:

'Clover yellow vein virus' can be found in Gentiana.

'Cucumber mosaic virus' affects gentians.

'Tomato spotted wilt virus' affects Eustoma.

Links:

Plant Viruses On-line (Gentianaceae) (link)

Virus infections in Gentiana species (link)

References:

© Lena Struwe, 2003