Great-yellow Gentian

Not for nothing is this perennial plant, with its robust, hollow stem that can grow to more than a metre, commonly known as the great gentian. It has several tiers of yellow flowers at the tip, grouped together and supported by a pair of broad, opposite leaves. Its robust, fleshy root, buried deep in the ground, is a godsend for lovers of home-made spirits and aperitifs. Many mountain folk believe that "the higher the Gentians are in summer, the more snow there will be in winter..."