closed gentian

American  

noun

1. a gentian, Gentiana andrewsii, of the eastern and central U.S., having tight clusters of dark blue, closed flowers.

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Etymology

Origin of closed gentian

An Americanism dating back to 1855–60

Example Sentences

Her own beauty was kept trimly neat, like a closed gentian.

From The Crux by Gilman, Charlotte Perkins

The closed gentian comes at the same time, and the blue and purple asters are in all their glory.

From The Writings of John Burroughs — Volume 05: Pepacton by Burroughs, John

It was a story of the closed gentian, the title of which she announced, as she always did, loudly, and with an amusing little air of self-satisfaction.

From Story-Tell Lib by Slosson, Annie Trumbull