Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Gentianella cerina (Hook.f.) T.N.Ho & S.W.Liu, 23: 62 (1993)
Synonymy:
  • Gentiana cerina Hook.f., Bot. Antarct. Voy. I. (Fl. Antarct.) Part I, 54 (1844)
  • Chionogentias cerina (Hook.f.) L.G.Adams, Austral. Syst. Bot. 8: 976 (1995)
  • = Gentiana cerina f. suberecta Kirk, Trans. New Zealand Inst. 27: 339 (1895)
  • Gentiana cerina var. suberecta (Kirk) Cheeseman, Man. New Zealand Fl. 455 (1906)
  • = Gentiana campbellii Hombr. & Jacquinot ex Decne., Voy. Pôle Sud, Botanique, 2, 22 (1953)
 Description

Plants polycarpic, height in flower 90–170 mm. Caudex unbranched or branched, 110–200 mm long. Flowering stems terminal only or terminal and lateral, 3–12 per plant, 1.1–3.1 mm diam. when dry, lateral flowering stems decumbent, flowering stem leaves 3–4 pairs per stem (not applicable in cases where no rosette is present on multi-branched plants), lowest pedicels from halfway up flowering stem to near apex of flowering stem. Rosette of leaves absent, not very distinct, or distinct from flowering plants leaves; leaves narrowly elliptic, 36.6–53.1 mm long, 8.4–12.6 mm wide, flat, not recurved, margins thickened, apex rounded and retuse; petiole distinct, 11–13 mm long, 4.7–6.3 mm wide at leaf base. Flowering stem leaves the same but smaller. Pedicels 1 or 2 per leaf axil, 6.2–17.8 mm long, 1.2–1.3 mm diam., 0.7– 1.0 mm diam. when dry. Flowers 15 to more than 100 per plant, 9.9–14.1 mm long. Calyx 9.3– 12.2 mm long, hairs at calyx–corolla fusion line present; lobes 7.5–10.3 mm long, 2.4–3.4 mm wide at base, plane, apices obtuse (widest near the apex), margins smooth, sinus hairs absent. Corolla 8.4– 11.8 mm long, white or tinted red to purple, veins colourless or purple; tube 2.1–4.4 mm long; lobes 6.3–8.8 mm long, 3.8–5.0 mm wide, hairs below sinus absent or present; nectary 1.2–1.5 mm from corolla base. Filaments 4.9–6.9 mm long from corolla base, 0.70–0.85 mm wide. Anthers 0.9– 1.7 mm long, extrorse at anthesis; pollen yellow. Stigma purple or colourless. Ovules 13–37 per ovary. Capsule 6.5–12 mm long. FL (Dec–)Jan– Mar(–Apr).

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

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Endemic)
 Bibliography
Adams, L.G. 1995: Chionogentias (Gentianaceae) a new generic name for the Australasian 'snow-gentians' and a revision of the Australian species. Australian Systematic Botany 8: 935–1011.
Cheeseman, T.F. 1906: Manual of the New Zealand Flora. Government Printer, Wellington.
de Lange, P.J.; Norton, D.A.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Hitchmough, R.; Townsend, A.J. 2009: Threatened and uncommon plants of New Zealand (2008 revision). New Zealand Journal of Botany 47: 61–96. [Naturally uncommon]
de Lange, P.J.; Norton, D.A.; Heenan, P.B.; Courtney, S.P.; Molloy, B.P.J.; Ogle, C.C.; Rance, B.D. 2004: Threatened and uncommon plants of New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 42(1): 45–76. [as Gentiana cerina Hook.f.]
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Barkla J.W.; Courtney, S.P.; Champion, P.D.; Perrie, L.R.; Beadel, S.N.; Ford, K.A.; Breitwieser, I.; Schönberger, I.; Hindmarsh-Walls, R.; Heenan, P.B.; Ladley, K. 2018: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017. New Zealand Threat Classification Series. No. 22. [Naturally Uncommon]
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Champion, P.D.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Norton, D.A.; Hitchmough, R.A. 2013: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 3. Department of Conservation, Wellington. [Naturally Uncommon]
Decaisne, J. 1853: Botanique. Dumont D'Urville, J.S.C. (ed.) Voyage au Pôle Sud et dans l'Oceanie, sur les Corvettes l'Astrolabe et la Zélée: exécuté par ordre du roi pendant les années 1837-1838-1839-1840. Vol. 2. Gide, Paris.
Glenny, D. 2004: A revision of the genus Gentianella in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 42(3): 361–530.
Ho, T.N.; Liu, W. 1993: New combinations, names and taxonomic notes on Gentianella (Gentianaceae) from South America and New Zealand. Bull. Nat. Hist.Mus.Lond.(Bot.) 23: 61–65.
Hooker, J.D. 1844–1845: The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage of H.M. Discovery Ships Erebus and Terror in the Years 1839–1843, under the command of Captain Sir James Clark Ross. I. Flora Antarctica. Part I. Botany of Lord Auckland’s Group and Campbell’s Island. Reeve, Brothers, London.
Kirk, T. 1895: A Revision of the New Zealand Gentians. Transactions of the New Zealand Institute 27: 330–341.