Gentiana urnula H. Smith

Perennials 4-6 cm tall. Stolons to 10 cm, much branched. Stems erect, simple. Basal leaves withered, persistent. Stem leaves overlapping, crowded; petiole 3-6 mm, membranous; leaf blade truncate-flabelliform, 0.7-1.7 cm × 5-10 mm, margin cartilaginous and smooth, apex truncate and emarginate, midvein cartilaginous and crested. Flowers solitary or to 3 and crowded. Calyx obconic; tube 5-6 mm, membranous; lobes 3-4 mm, similar to leaves. Corolla pale blue-purple, sometimes with pale yellow base, with blue streaks, urceolate, 2-3 cm; lobes broadly ovate, 2-3 mm, margin entire, apex rounded and cuspidate; plicae broadly ovate to subtruncate, 1-1.5 mm, margin entire or denticulate. Stamens inserted just below middle of corolla tube; filaments 6-8 mm; anthers ellipsoid, 2.5-3 mm. Style 0.9-1.1 cm; stigma lobes triangular. Capsules ovoid-ellipsoid, 1.5-1.8 cm; gynophore to 4 cm, slender. Seeds dark brown, ellipsoid, 2.3-2.5 mm; seed coat with simple pits. Fl. and fr. Aug-Oct.

E. Himalaya (Nepal to Bhutan), S.E. Tibet.

SW Qinghai, E Xizang [Bhutan, Nepal, Sikkim].

4700-6200 m

Gravel slopes, alpine meadows, gravel zone on high mountains; 3900-5700 m.

Gentiana amoena C. B. Clarke var. major Burkill.