Codonopsis gracilis J. D. Hooker & Thomson, Ill. Himal. Pl. t. 16, A. 1855; Campanumoea gracilis (J. D. Hooker & Thomson) G. Nicholson.

Plants glabrous throughout except young leaves sparsely villous, odorous. Roots unknown. Stems long, slender, branched. Leaves alternate, rarely those on branchlets opposite, long petiolate; blade abaxially gray, adaxially green, ovate-orbicular, 0.9-2.5 × 0.9-2.5 cm, membranous, base truncate or obtuse, margin sinuate-crenate, apex obtuse. Flowers pendent; pedicels slender, 1-5 cm, straight or curved. Calyx glabrous; tube 2-3 mm; lobes narrowly oblong, 5-8 × 1-2 mm, margin with 1 or 2 pairs of callose serratures. Corolla blue or purple, 2.8-3.5 cm; tube ca. 4 mm in diam.; limb 1-1.5 cm in diam.; lobes triangular, 4-5 mm. Filaments ca. 2 cm. Style ca. 2 cm. Inferior part of capsule semiglobose or obconic, 4-5 mm; superior part conical or ovoid, 8-10 mm. Seeds red-brown, linear-oblong, 1.5-1.8 mm, smooth. Fl. Aug-Oct.

Forests, thickets; 2000-2500 m. SW Sichuan (Huili, Muli, Yanbian), NW Yunnan [Bhutan, N India, N Myanmar, E Nepal].