Broad-petaled gentian

Gentiana covillei A. Nelson & J. F. Macbride; G. gormanii Howell

Herbs perennial, 0.5–3.5 dm, glabrous. Stems 1–5, terminal from caudex, erect or nearly so. Leaves cauline, ± evenly spaced; blade widely ovate to elliptic, 1.5–4 cm × 8–22 mm, apex obtuse. Inflorescences solitary flowers or occasionally a terminal pair. Flowers: calyx 8–12 mm, tube cleft to base or nearly so into 2 spatha­ceous segments, lobes elliptic to ovate-lanceolate, 0.5–5 mm, margins not ciliate; corolla bright blue, campan­ulate, open, 30–38 mm, lobes widely ovate-triangular, 6–11 mm, free portions of plicae spreading, low-triangular, less than 1 mm, notched at apex, otherwise entire; anthers distinct. Seeds not winged.

Flowering late summer. Alpine and coastal mountain meadows, heathlands, rocky and boggy slopes; 0–1400(–2100) m; B.C.; Alaska.

Gentiana platypetala is restricted to sites near the Pacific largely confined to the insular ranges of British Columbia and southern Alaska from northern Vancouver Island, Queen Charlotte Islands, and Alice Arm, British Columbia, northwest to Kodiak Island, Alaska, but occasionally on mainland coastal ranges.

The distinctive spathaceous calyces of this species are strongly suffused with reddish purple.