- ≡ Gentiana gibbsii Petrie, Trans. & Proc. New Zealand Inst. 49: 52 (1917)
- ≡ Chionogentias gibbsii (Petrie) L.G.Adams, Austral. Syst. Bot. 8: 977 (1995)
Plants monocarpic, biennial, height in flower 60–200 mm. Caudex unbranched, 10–25 mm long. Root c. 0.9 mm diam. at stem base. Flowering stems terminal only or terminal and lateral, 1–19 per plant, largest flowering stem 1.0–1.6 mm diam. at base, 0.8–1.6 mm diam. when dry, stem colour bronze, lateral flowering stems erect, flowering stem leaves 2–4 pairs per stem, lowest pedicels from halfway up flowering stem or near apex of flowering stem. Rosette of leaves present and distinct from flowering stem leaves, leaves elliptic, leaf apex acute, 13–22 mm long, 3.6–7.0 mm wide, green, channelled, not recurved, petiole 7.3–14.5 mm long. Petiole 1.0–1.2 mm wide at leaf base. Flowering stem leaves narrowly elliptic. Pedicels 1 per leaf axil, 4.5– 60 mm long, 0.8–1.1 mm diam., 0.8–1.2 mm diam. when dry. Flowers 1–28 per plant, 12.5–14.9 mm long. Calyx 9.5–14.7 mm long, bronze-green, hairs at calyx–corolla fusion line present; lobes 8.5–11.8 mm long, 1.7–2.0 mm wide at base, plane, apices acute, margins smooth, sinus hairs sparse. Corolla 11.7–15.3 mm long, white; tube 3.0–3.5 mm long; lobes 8.8–12 mm long, 5.0–6.5 mm wide, apices acute and slightly serrated, hairs below sinus absent or present; nectary 1.7–2.0 mm from corolla base. Filaments 6.5–8.6 mm long from corolla base, 0.5–1.1 mm wide. Anthers 1.1–1.9 mm long, anther wall blue-black, mouth yellow, introrse at anthesis; pollen yellow. Stigma colourless. Ovules 36–49 per ovary. Capsule 15.3–27 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.]