Swertia perennis

Plant: perennial herb; Rhizomatous polycarpic perennial; 1 stem, to 57 cm tall Leaves: basal leaves long-petioled, the petiole equal to several times longer than the 7-10 cm long, oblanceolate, elliptic to circular blade; cauline leaves reduced to sessile opposite bracts INFLORESCENCE: a cyme Flowers: 4- or 5-merous; calyx lobes lanceolate, 5-7 mm long; calyx tube very short to absent; corolla lobes lanceolate, to 10 mm long, 4 mm wide, blue, often with prominent veins, the tube very short to essentially absent, the nectar pits 2, circular, ca. 1 mm in diameter, with or without a few marginal hairs, the corona absent to ca. 1 mm tall; pistil 5-6 mm long at anthesis, the style short Fruit: to 1 cm long, the tip exserted. SEEDS flat, dark brown, circular to slightly irregular, 1.5-2 mm in diameter including the wing Misc: Wet marshy areas:; 2450-3000 m (8000-9900 ft); Jul-Sep REFERENCES: Mason, Charles T. 1998 Gentianaceae. J. Ariz. - Nev. Acad. Sci. 30(2): 84.