Gentiana hexaphylla var. caudata C. Marquand; G. hexaphylla var. pentaphylla Harry Smith; G. hexaphylla var. septemloba Harry Smith; G. ×quaterna Harry Smith var. octoloba Harry Smith; G. ×quaterna subsp. sankarensis Harry Smith.
Perennials 5-20 cm tall. Stems ascending, simple, papillate. Basal rosette leaves absent or poorly developed; leaf blade triangular, 5-10 × 1.5-2 mm, membranous, base connate for 2-3 mm, margin smooth, midvein distinct. Stem leaves in whorls of 6 or 7, larger and more crowded toward apex, uppermost surrounding calyx; leaf blade margin smooth, apex acute, midvein abaxially distinct. Lower stem leaves withered at anthesis, lanceolate to ovate, 2.5-6 × 1-2 mm, apex acute; middle to upper leaves linear-spatulate, 5-15 × 1.5-3 mm. Flowers terminal, solitary, sessile, (5- or) 6- or 7- (or 8)-merous. Calyx tube narrowly obconic, 8-10 mm; lobes linear-spatulate, 5-11 mm, herbaceous, margin smooth, midvein distinct, apex obtuse. Corolla blue, with pale yellow-white base and dark blue streaks, tubular-campanulate, 3.5-5 cm; lobes broadly ovate to ovate-orbicular, 4.5-6 mm, margin erose, apex acute to obtuse and with a caudate tip 2-2.5 mm; plicae broadly triangular, 0.5-1 mm, margin erose, apex obtuse. Stamens inserted at basal part of corolla tube; filaments 2-3 mm; anthers narrowly ellipsoid, 2-3 mm. Style 3-5 mm; stigma lobes oblong. Capsules ovoid-ellipsoid, 1.3-1.7 cm; gynophore to 5 cm. Seeds light brown, ellipsoid to ovoid, 1.2-1.5 mm. Fl. and fr. Jul-Sep.
* Grassland and roadside slopes, alpine meadows, scrub; 2700-4400 m. S Gansu, SE Qinghai, Shaanxi (Taibai Shan), N and W Sichuan.
