阿里山龍膽

Gentiana caespitosa non Mart. & Gal. (1844): Hayata, J. Coll. Sci. Imp. Univ. Tokyo 25(19): 165. 1908 (Fl. Mont. Form.); Hayata, J. Coll. Sci. Imp. Univ. Tokyo 30(1): 201. 1911 (Mat. Fl. Form.). —TYPE: Formosa. Monte Morrison, ad 12500 ped. alt., T. kawakami et U. Mori 2242, Oct. 1906 (holotype: TI!; isotype: TAIF!).

Gentiana aristata auct. non Maxim. (1880): Ying, Quart. J. Exp. Forest. N. T. U. 3(2): 91. 1989.

Perennial herbs. Stems usually branched in the upper part, ascending, usually caespitose, 3-5 cm tall, usually drawn when bloom, up to 13 cm tall. Leaves plicate, closely crowded on stem, especially stems bearing no flowers, 7-8 mm long, 2-3 mm long wide, aristate-acuminate at apex, the costae prominent beneath, almost entire along margin, slightly scabrous near leaves base, sheaths about 2 mm long. Flowers pedicellate, solitary and terminal; pedicels 2-5 mm long; calyx-tube campanulate, 8 mm long, with 5 smooth costae, 5-lobed; the lobes narrow triangular, 4 mm long, acuminate at apices, almost smooth along margins; corolla blue or purplish blue, tubular-campanulate, 18-22 mm long, with 5 lobes; the lobes acutely ovate, 4 mm long, aristate-acuminate at apices; sinuses plicate with ovate-triangular appendages; appendages acute or cuspidate near apices; almost entire near both extremes; stamens 5, the anthers pink, 2-2.5 mm long, the filaments about 12 mm long, attached slightly above the lower-part of corolla-tube; ovary shortly stipitate, lanceolate to narrow ovate, 10-12 mm long, 3-4 mm wide, the stipe 3-4 mm long, style 3-4 mm long, the stigma bifurcate and spirally recursive at bloom. Capsules 5-7 mm long, the stipe 10-17 mm long, 2-valved, dehiscent, the valves denticulate near apices, exserted beyond the persistent corolla. Seeds ovoid, with minutely longitudinal reticulate-striae, 0.9 mm long, 0.5 mm wide.

HSINCHU HSIEN: Kuanwu, Huang 6692 (TAI); Itzershan, elev. ca. 3250-3300m, Huang 94 (HAST); Tapachienshan, elev. ca. 3200-3400m, C. H. Chen 1441 (TNU); same loc., elev. ca. 2900m, Ying 4149 (NTUF). MIAOLI HSIEN: Luchangtashan, Fukuyama 3497 (TAI). TAICHUNG HSIEN: Yupolanshan, Chuang 44 (PPI); Tahsuehshan, Lu 323 (NCUF); Chungshueshan, elev. ca. 2800m, Kuo s. n. May 22, 1958 (TAI); Hsinta Lodge to Pintienshan, elev. ca. 3200-3536m, Wang 4030 (TAI); Chikashanchuang, elev. ca. 3100m, Hsu 697 (HAST); same loc., elev. ca. 2500-3000m, Peng 7890 (HAST); Chikashanchuang to Sanliuchiushanchuang, Hsu 14644 (TAI); same loc., Huang 7158 (TAI); Taoshan, elev. ca. 3300m, Hosokawa 2293 (NTUF); same loc., elev. ca. 3100m, Peng 12049 (HAST); Anmashan to Hsiaohsuehshan, Wang 4969 (TAI); Sungling, Fujita s. n. May 24, 1930 (TNU); Nanhutashan, elev. ca. 2600-2800m, C. H. Chen 1000 (TNU); same loc., elev. ca. 9000 feet, Sasaki s. n. Jul. 23, 1922 (TAIF); Hsiaohsuehshan, elev. ca. 3000m, Liu 314 (TAI); same loc., Huang 10289 (TAI); Hsuehshan, Kao 3955 (NCUF); same loc., Yang s. n. Aug. 24, 1995 (TAIF); same loc., elev. ca. 3800m, Ying 3834 (NTUF); same loc., elev. ca. 3300-3500m, C. H. Chen 1422 (TNU); NANTOU HSIEN: Wuling, elev. ca. 3200-3250m, Peng 14470 (HAST); Kuanyang to Hohuanshan, Su 3392 (NTUF); Tienluanchih, Chuang 362 (PPI); Patungkuan, Sasaki s. n. Aug. 8, 1923 (TAI); Wushe, Chuang 4248 (TAI); Tashuikushan, elev. ca. 3625-3725m, Lee 8 (HAST); Hohuanshan, elev. ca. 3050-3150m, C. H. Chen 1266 (TNU); same loc., Tseng 9706 (NCUF); same loc., Kao 7816 (TAI); Paiyangchinkuang, elev. ca. 3200-3600m, C. H. Chen 124 (HAST); Nengkaoshan, Masamune s. n. Jul. 15, 1931 (TAI); Nengkao, Kudo s. n. Jul. 15, 1930 (TAI); Tienchih to Nengkao, Huang 5812 (TAI); Mapolaszushan, Sasaki s. n. Oct. 4, 1926 (TAI). CHIAYI HSIEN: Paiyunshanchuang, Lu 3733 (NCUF); Paiyunshanchuang to Yushan, elev. ca. 3550-3997m, Hsu 6295 (TAI); Yushan, Kawakamii & Mori s. n. Oct. 20, 1906 (TAIF); same loc., Sasaki s. n. Oct. 9, 1908 (TAIF); same loc., Ying 1445 (NTUF). ILAN HSIEN: Taipingshan, Suzuki s. n. Aug. 15, 1925 (TAI); same loc., Huang s. n. Aug. 1957 (TNU). HUALIEN HSIEN: Patolushan, Wang 364 (HAST); Tayuling to Hohuanshan, elev. ca. 2565-3250m, Hsu 3817 (TAI).

Distribution and habitat. Endemic to Taiwan, at sunny places on grasslands or exposed rocky places on high mountains. Usually found in the northern and central parts of the Central Mountain Range from 2,500 to 3,900 m in elevation. Flowering and fruiting Jun-Dec.

Notes. Gentiana arisanensis Hayata was treated as the synonymy of G. aristata Maxim. by Ying (1989), according to his examination of specimens and reading of original description of both species. However, the treatment seems to be inappropriate, because the latter is annual herbs and with obvious radical leaves.