Gentiana tenella Rottbøll, Skr. Naturhist.-Selsk. 10: 436. 1770.

Annuals 5-12 cm tall. Stems ascending to erect, subquadrangular, branched from base. Basal leaves few, short petiolate; leaf blade spatulate to oblong-spatulate, 5-8 × 2-3 mm including petiole, base cuneate, apex rounded, midvein distinct. Stem leaves sessile, oblong to ovate-oblong, 4-11
× 2-4 mm, apex acute, with reticulate veins. Flowers terminal, solitary, often 4merous. Pedicel spreading to erect, to 8 cm. Calyx lobes slightly unequal, lanceolate to ovate, 6-7
× 2.5-3 mm, apex acute. Corolla pale blue to blue, tubular, 7-11 × to 3 mm; lobes spreading, oblong, 2-3 mm, scales 2, fimbriae ca. 1.5 mm, apex obtuse. Nectaries 8. Stamens inserted just below middle of corolla tube; filaments subulate, ca. 2 mm, base decurrent into wings of corolla tube; anthers yellow, ovate. 0.5-0.7 mm. Ovary ovoid-ellipsoid, ca. 7 mm. Style indistinct; stigma lobes oblong. Capsules exserted from persistent corolla. Seeds (immature) ovoid; seed coat smooth. Fl. and fr. Jun.

Hillsides, wet places; ca. 2600 m. Xinjiang [Mongolia].