Gentianella decumbens Glenny

Plants polycarpic, height in flower 80– 140(–200) mm, plants 170–400 mm diam. Caudex branched, 40–220 mm long, stolons absent. Root 3.1–6.2 mm diam. at stem base. Flowering stems (1–)4–22(–27) per plant, lateral only, decumbent, green or crimson, largest stems 1.4–2.5 mm diam. at base, 1.4–2.0 mm diam. when dry; stem leaves (4–)6–9 pairs per stem with internodes often short, the last pair often at the calyx base, sometimes sheathing the stem; lowest pedicels from near apex of flowering stem. Leaf rosette of leaves absent to distinct from flowering stem leaves. Basal leaves elliptic, leaf apex acute to rounded, (16–)20–44(–48) mm long, 5.3–10.4 mm wide, green without tinting, often turning yellow with age, V-shaped or channelled, recurved toward the leaf apex; petiole moderately distinct, 12–30 mm long, 2.2–3.6 mm wide at leaf base. Pedicels 1 per leaf axil, 0–19 mm long, 1.1–1.7 mm diam., 1.0–1.4 mm diam. when dry. Flowers (3–)22–72 per plant, 16–20 mm long, rarely female. Calyx 8.0–12.0 mm long, green, hairs at calyx–corolla fusion line present; lobes 5.2–8.4 mm long, (2.6–)2.9–5.1 mm wide at base, apices acute, margins recurved, smooth to minutely denticulate, sinus hairs abundant. Corolla 14.0–19.8 mm long, white; tube 2.8–6.3 mm long; lobes 10.5–13.4 mm long, 7.3–11.1 mm wide, hairs below sinus abundant; nectary (1.0–)1.1–1.9(–2.3) mm from corolla base. Filaments 9.0–12.5 mm long from corolla base, 0.9–1.1 mm wide. Anthers 2.3–2.7 mm long, anther wall blue-black, mouth yellow, extrorse at anthesis. Stigma colourless. Ovules 26–56(–60) per ovary, ovary yellow in maturity. Capsules 18–29 mm long. FL Jan–early Mar.

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