27. Swertia multicaulis D. Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal. 128. 1825.
多茎獐牙菜 duo jing zhang ya cai
Perennials 8-12 cm tall. Taproot 5-10 mm in diam. Stems ascending, many, cespitose, striate, simple; caudex sheathed by blackish remains of old petioles. Leaves mostly basal, in a rosette; petiole flattened, 5-10 mm, base connate; leaf blade spatulate to oblong-spatulate, 1.5-3.5 cm × 5-12 mm, base narrowed, margin scabrous, apex obtuse to rounded, veins 3-7 distinct and arcuate. Stem leaves 1 or 2 pairs, sessile, bractlike, elliptic, 7-10 × 3-5 mm, both ends obtuse, midvein distinct. Inflorescences racemelike or umbel-like. Flowers 4merous. Calyx lobes lanceolate to oblong, 5-7 mm, margin scabrous, apex acute to obtuse, midvein distinct. Corolla pale blue to purple, 1.5-2.2 cm in diam., tube 1.5-2 mm; lobes oblong, (0.8-)1-1.2 cm, apex obtuse. Nectaries 1 per corolla lobe, oblong to rhomboid, margin raised with erect stiff fimbriae 2-2.5 mm. Filaments 5-7 mm; anthers dark blue, ovoid, 1.5-2.5 mm. Style indistinct; stigma lobes suborbicular. Capsules ovoid-ellipsoid, 1.2-1.5 cm. Seeds brown, subglobose, almost smooth. Fl. and fr. Jun-Sep.
3600-4700 m. Xizang [Bhutan, Nepal, Sikkim]
