Syn.: Chionogentias muelleriana L. G. Adams
Family: Gentianaceae Juss.
Distribution Endemic species of southeastern Australia. Besides the nominate subspecies, G. muelleriana subsp. muelleriana, there are three other subspecies recognized – G. muelleriana subsp. alpestris, G. m. subsp. jingerensis and G. m. subsp. willisiana. Our images show the Gentianella muelleriana subsp. alpestris, endemic subspecies of Mount Kosciuszko, the highest mountain in Australia, and the nearest neighboring peaks and valleys.
Ecology: It grows in tussock grassland, on moist to wet grassy mountain meadows. It blooms from January to March.
Description: Annual, biennial to perennial herb, 10–25(–35) tall, few-branched from the base. The lower leaves are opposite, linear to spathulate, 2–10 cm long and 0.7–1 cm wide, entire, stem leaves are linear to oblanceolate, 1–4 cm long and 0.4–0.8 cm wide. The terminal inflorescence is 2–15-flowered; peduncle 1–8 cm long, flowers cup-shaped, mostly 5-merous, petals 10–15 mm long, white with blue-green veins. The fruit is a capsule up to 2 cm long.
These images were taken in Australia, New South Wales, Kosciuszko National Park (by Pavlína Zahradníková, February 2009).
