Gentiana arethusae Burkill

Perennials 10-15 cm tall. Stems very numerous, ascending, simple, papillate. Basal rosette leaves poorly developed; leaf blade triangular, 3-7 × 1-1.5 mm, membranous, margin weakly hispid, apex acute, midvein distinct. Stem leaves in whorls of 6 (or 7), larger toward apex, uppermost surrounding calyx; leaf blade base connate for 2-3 mm, margin smooth, apex acute to acuminate, midvein abaxially distinct. Lower stem leaves withered at anthesis, ovate-elliptic, 3-5 × 1-1.5 mm; middle to upper leaves 1-1.7 cm × 1-1.5 mm. Flowers terminal, solitary, sessile, (5- or) 6- or 7-merous. Calyx tube narrowly obconic, 1-1.3 cm; lobes linear, 1-1.4 cm, herbaceous, margin smooth, apex acuminate, midvein distinct. Corolla blue, with dark blue stripes, tubular-campanulate or campanulate-funnelform, 3.5-6 cm, throat 1.5-2.5 cm in diam.; lobes ovate, 4-5 mm, margin entire, apex obtuse with a caudate tip 2-2.5 mm; plicae broadly ovate, 1-1.5 mm, margin entire, apex obtuse. Stamens inserted at basal part of corolla tube; filaments 1.7-2 cm; anthers ellipsoid, 2-2.5 mm. Style 3-5 mm; stigma lobes linear. Capsules ellipsoid, 1.4-1.6 cm; gynophore to 3 cm. Seeds light brown, ellipsoid, 0.8-1 mm. Fl. and fr. Aug-Sep.

E Sichuan, SE Xizang, NW Yunnan

* 2000-4800 m.