The Closed Gentian is an interesting flower in that, as far as I know, it never opens like a regular flower. More information about Closed Gentians (sometimes also referred to as 'Bottle Gentian" can be found at http://2bnthewild.com/plants/H82.htm and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentiana_andrewsii The Closed Gentian is considered to be an endangered plant species in several states, and is rather rare in Minnesota. (Or at least I have never seen but a few of them.) This one is the most colorful I have ever seen, in person or in print, and was found in Sibley State Park in West-Central Minnesota.