Gentianella vernicosa (Cheeseman) T.N.Ho & S.W.Liu

Plants polycarpic, rarely monocarpic and biennial, height in flower 80–290 mm. Caudex unbranched or branched, 35–120 mm long. Stolons arising from branched caudex occasionally present. Root 1.2–2.0 mm diam. at stem base. Flowering stems terminal on main caudex or its branches, 1–16 per plant, largest flowering stem 1.0–2.5 mm diam. at base, 0.9–2.0 mm diam. when dry, stems tinted purple-black, rarely green, erect or decumbent, flowering stem leaves 3–5 pairs per stem, lowest pedicels from near apex of flowering stem, flowers often solitary on a stem. Rosettes of leaves present but grading to flowering stem leaves, leaves narrowly elliptic, glossy, thick in texture without projecting veins, (12.0–)14.5–25(–31) mm long, (1.8–)2.4–5.7(–6.0) mm wide, green, rarely tinted crimson below, flat or slightly V-shaped, not recurved, apex acute, petiole absent, leaf 1.0–2.2–3.4 mm wide at leaf base. Flowering stem leaves narrowly ovate. Pedicels 1 or 2 per leaf axil, 2–27 mm long, 0.9–1.4 mm diam., 0.5–0.65 mm diam. when dry. Flowers 1–24 per plant, 13.0–18.3 mm long. Calyx 6.8–10.8 mm long, green or tinted purple-black or brown, hairs at calyx–corolla fusion line present; lobes 4.1–8.1 mm long, 1.9–3.2 mm wide at base, plane, apices acute, margins smooth, sinus hairs absent, sparse, or abundant. Corolla (10.9–)13.6–16.8 mm long, white, veins uncoloured; tube 3.0–4.5 mm long, lobes 8.3–12.5 mm long, 7.0–10.9 mm wide, hairs below sinus present; nectary 0.3–0.6 mm from corolla base. Filaments 7.1–9.4 mm long from corolla base, 0.7–0.9 mm wide. Anthers 1.8–2.9 mm long, anther wall blue-black, mouth yellow, extrorse at anthesis. Stigma colourless. Ovules 28–64 per ovary, turning slightly blue in maturity. Capsule 13–18 mm long. FL (Feb–)Apr.

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