Autumn Gentian

As autumn comes upon the Dorset countryside many of the flowers are over for another year but some late summer specialists linger. It is usually in late August that the autumn gentian comes in to flower for a fairly short season.This is very much a flower of the chalk and limestone downs and cliffs, especially on the Purbeck Coast and although not a large flower it is certainly an attractive one.It is also called Felwort from the ancient English feldwyrt meaning 'herb of the field'.