Gentianella stellata Glenny

Plants monocarpic, biennial, height in flower 180–730 mm. Caudex unbranched or branched with branches short, c. 30 mm long. Root 1.8–6.0 mm diam. at stem base. Flowering stems terminal only or terminal and lateral, 1–6 per plant, largest flowering stem 1.7–5.4 mm diam. at base, stem colour green or tinted crimson, purple-black, or bronze, lateral flowering stems erect when present, flowering stem leaves 3–6 pairs per stem, lowest pedicels from near base of flowering stem or halfway up flowering stem or near apex of flowering stem. Rosette of leaves present and distinct from flowering stem leaves, leaves narrowly elliptic or elliptic, 12–100 mm long, (3.7–)6.0–19 mm wide, green or tinted crimson, purple-black, or bronze, flat or slightly to strongly channelled, recurved; leaf apex acute or rounded; petiole absent, leaf 2.9– 5.7 mm wide at base. Flowering stem leaves similar to rosette leaves but smaller, ovate, strongly recurved and channelled. Pedicels 1 or 2 per leaf axil, 3– 45 mm long (those from low on the flowering stem very long), 0.75–1.5 mm diam., 0.6–1.0 mm diam. when dry. Flowers 11–38(–59) per plant, 14–29 mm long. Calyx 6.0–13 mm long, green or crimson, hairs at calyx–corolla fusion line absent or present; lobes 3.8–8.2 mm long, 1.5–3.0 mm wide at base, recurved, apices acute, margins smooth or minutely denticulate, sinus hairs few. Corolla (10–)13–23 mm long, white, veins uncoloured; tube 3.0–6.3 mm long; lobes 11.5–19 mm long, 6.3–9.5 mm wide, hairs below sinus few or absent; nectary 1.7–2.7 mm from corolla base. Filaments 5.9–10.6 mm long from corolla base, 0.6–1.2 mm wide. Anthers 1.7–3.1 mm long, anther wall yellow or blue-black, mouth yellow, extrorse at anthesis. Stigma colourless or slightly tinted blue. Ovules 18–68 per ovary, ovary turning purple in maturity. Capsule 11.5–21 mm long. FL Mar–Apr(–Aug).

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