Zs. P. Komáromy szerk.: Studia Botanica Hungarica 12. 1977 (Budapest, 1977)
Szujkóné Lacza, Júlia; Sen, Subir: Distribution, diversity and equitability of the Hungarian species of Gentiana and Gentianella ciliata L. (Gentianaceae)
DISCUSSION The localities which are plotted in the map and the available data indicata that G. cruciata and G. pneumonanthe are commonly found, at low altitude and usually require low precipitation (Maps 2 and 3), It is noted that in these areas low precipitation is always substituted by high level of soil water. Both species are met in low lands also, but while G. cruciata is very rare, G. pneumonanthe is quite frequent. The other two species: G. asclepiadea and G. ciliata are not available in true low-lands except the the western part of the country where the annual precipitation is over 700 mm (Maps 1 and 4). In Hungary G. cruciata and G. pneumonanthe are very common throughout and well distributed in the Central Mountains. Next in order comes G. asclepiadea , but it is not available in the Hungarian Central Mountains except only one locality "Szádelő" in its the north-eastern part, G. ciliata is restricted to a very few places. The area shows such features as found in the case of relict plants in that particular area (near Budapest, Bükk and Bakony Mountains). G. ciliata differs from G. cruciata and G. pneumonanthe in that while it occurs only in certain restricted areas, the latter two species are distributed almost throughout, through restricted to particular communities. By considering the basic data of distribution (Table 1) according to altitude it appears that G. asclepiadea and G. ciliata are more frequent at high altitude than G. pneumonanthe which grows more frequently at low altitude (within the investigated area). G. cruciata is available at all altitudes but in different frequency values. The distribution of the four species varies according to annual precipitation (Table 2). While G. asclepiadea shows maximum to near maximum frequency in the areas of 800-1000 mm annual precipitation, G. cruciata and G. ciliata occur mainly in areas of 600-700 mm annual rainfall. G. pneumonanthe shows its maximum distribution in the areas within 550-700 and 800-900 mm annual precipitation. Table 3 shows that G, asclepiadea is less selective to the community than G. cruciata which is the most selective species among the four. G. asclepiadea shows high frequency in "Fagus forest", G. cruciata in the forest fellings and road sides. G. pneumonanthe is marshy lands (in most cases) in Molinietum coerulae community cf. SOO (1966) and G. ciliata in mountain meadows. Table 4 shows that G. asclepiadea has high frequency of flowering in August, G. cruciata in July and August, G. pneumonanthe in August-September and G. ciliata in the latter part of September, Thus, while G. cruciata is the earliest to come in full bloom, G. ciliata flowers latest of all. All these four species are short-day plants (to various degrees).
