川西龙胆 chuan xi long dan

Perennials 12-30 cm tall. Rhizomes short. Stems 1 or 2, erect, simple, glabrous. Basal leaves in 1-3 erect rosettes; petiole 1-3 cm, membranous; leaf blade linear-lanceolate to linear-elliptic, 2.5-11 × 0.5-1.4 cm, base narrowed, apex acuminate to obtuse, veins 1-3. Stem leaves 1-3 pairs; petiole to 2 cm, shorter or absent toward apex; leaf blade linear-oblong or narrowly elliptic, 2-4 cm × 3-15 mm, base narrowed, apex acuminate to obtuse, veins 1-3. Inflorescences terminal clusters, sometimes also in few-flowered subapical axillary clusters, axillary clusters rarely on pedunclelike branches. Flowers sessile. Calyx tubular to narrowly obconic, 1-1.2 cm, tube sometimes split on 1 side; lobes spreading to reflexed, subulate to triangular, 1-2(-3) mm, unequal. Corolla pale blue, unspotted, tubular-funnelform, (2-)3.5-5.5 cm; lobes ovate, 3-3.5 mm, apex obtuse; plicae triangular, 2-2.5 mm, base oblique, margin entire, apex obtuse. Stamens inserted just below middle of corolla tube; filaments 1-1.3 cm; anthers ellipsoid, 2.5-3 mm. Style 1.5-2 mm; stigma lobes semiorbicular. Capsules narrowly ellipsoid to ovoid-ellipsoid, 1.5-1.7 cm; gynophore to 2 cm. Seeds light brown, subglobose, 1-1.2 mm. Fl. and fr. Jul-Sep.

* Grassland slopes, scrub, forests; 2800-4000 m. SW Sichuan, SE Xizang, NW Yunnan