- ≡ 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)
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.]