Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Gentianella montana var. stolonifera (Cheeseman) Glenny, New Zealand J. Bot. 42: 504 (2004)
Synonymy:
  • Gentiana montana var. stolonifera Cheeseman, Man. New Zealand Fl. 451 (1906)
  • = Gentianella townsonii (Cheeseman) T.N.Ho & S.W.Liu, 23: 65 (1993)
  • Chionogentias townsonii (Cheeseman) L.G.Adams, Austral. Syst. Bot. 8: 978 (1995)
  • Gentiana townsonii Cheeseman, Man. New Zealand Fl. 450 (2004)
 Description

Plants polycarpic, height in flower 70–510 mm. Root 1.5–2.5 mm diam. at stem base. Caudex branched, 16–160 mm long. Stolons always present on older plants. Flowering stems 1–5 per plant; largest stem 1.4–3.2 mm diam. at base, (0.5–)1.2–1.9(–3.0) mm diam. when dry, green, crimson, or purple-black, flowering stem leaves 3–7 pairs per stem with sometimes a gradual transition from rosette leaves; lowest pedicels from near apex of flowering stem. Rosette leaves 14–42 mm long, 3.5–10.5 mm wide, usually tinted crimson below, otherwise bronze; apices rounded to acute; petiole when distinct 9.5–19 mm long, 1.4–3.2 mm wide at narrowest point. Pedicels 5–32 mm long, 1.0–1.5 mm diam. Flowers 1–15 per plant, 17–20 mm long. Calyx 9.0–11.8 mm long; lobes 6.9–9.2 mm long, 1.8–3.0 mm wide at base, sinus hairs absent or sparse. Corolla 13.5–20 mm long, rarely purple; tube 2.9–4.7 mm long, usually green; lobes 10.0–15.3 mm long, 6.8–10.1 mm wide, white, veins uncoloured or purple, hairs below sinus present; nectary 0.5–1.3 mm from corolla base. Filaments 6.0–10.0 mm long from corolla base, 0.7–1.0 mm wide. Anthers 1.8–2.9 mm long, anther wall blueblack. Ovules 44–56 per ovary. Capsule 15–28 mm long. FL (Jan–)Feb–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.; 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. [Not Threatened]
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. [Not Threatened]
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.