This endemic Gentian can sometimes flower as early as April but this year the cold weather has put back the flowering period to the beginning of June. It favours close-cropped, chalk downland and although nationally very rare is present at this site in thousands. It is easy to miss for tall botanists though because it is quite small and doesn't grow into 25 cm plants like the much commoner Gentianella amarella.

G. anglica is restricted to southern England and Cornwall with only a few outposts further north near east Anglia. It does not grow in Scotland, Ireland and there are only two known records from Wales.

Tennyson Down, Isle of Wight, 4th June 2006

Added on 10th June 2006, updated 2nd April 2010