Gentianella grisebachii (Hook.f.) T.N.Ho

Plants monocarpic, biennial, height in flower 40–290 mm. Caudex unbranched, 7–15 mm long. Root 1.4–4.0 mm diam. at stem base. Flowering stems terminal and lateral or lateral only, 2–8 per plant, largest flowering stem 0.6–2.7 mm diam. at base, 0.8–1.5(–3.1) mm diam. when dry, stem green, or tinted crimson-orange, or purple-black, lateral flowering stems erect or decumbent, flowering stem leaves 3–6 pairs per stem, lowest pedicels from near base of flowering stem to near apex of flowering stem. Rosette of leaves absent from flowering plants, leaves narrowly elliptic or elliptic or ovate, 9.1–65 mm long, 2.3–10.5(–16) mm wide, green or tinted purple-black, flat or V-shaped, not recurved; apex acute or rounded; petiole distinct, 11–18 mm long, 0.7–2.3(–3.6) mm wide at leaf base. Flowering stem leaves elliptic, ovate to narrowly ovate. Flowers 3–49 per plant, 6.7–12.5(–20) mm long. Pedicels 1 per leaf axil, 10–80 mm long (elongating after flowering to 17–85 mm), 0.5–1.4 mm diam., 0.4–0.9 mm diam. when dry. Calyx 5.5–11.6 mm long, green, tinted purple-black at the apices, hairs at calyx–corolla fusion line present; lobes 4.2–7.8 mm long, 0.9–2.6 mm wide at base, plane, apices narrowly acute, margins smooth, sinus hairs absent or sparse. Corolla 6.4–16 mm long, white, occasionally a purple-grey tinting on the corolla lobes, with veins uncoloured, purple or purple-grey; tube 1.5–3.8 mm long; lobes 4.9–12.5 mm long, 2.1–8.6 mm wide, hairs below sinus absent or present; nectary 0.4– 1.2 mm from corolla base. Filaments 3.6–8.6 mm long from corolla base, 0.3–1.1 mm wide. Anthers 0.5–3.4 mm long, anther wall blue-black, rarely pink, mouth yellow, pale orange or orange-red, extrorse, occasionally horizontal at anthesis; pollen yellow or pale orange. Stigma colourless. Ovules 23–72 per ovary. Capsule 7.2–20 mm long. FL Jan–Mar.

[Reproduced from Glenny (2004, New Zealand J. Bot. 42: 361-530) with permission from The Royal Society of New Zealand.]