Swertia younghusbandii Burkill

Perennials 5-30 cm tall. Rhizomes blackish, short, with few slightly fleshy rootlets. Stems erect, striate, simple, base sheathed by blackish remains of old petioles. Basal leaves petioles flattened, 1-2.5 cm, base connate; leaf blade linear-elliptic, 2.5-4.5 cm × 6-8 mm, base narrowed, apex obtuse, veins 1-3. Stem leaves sessile, 2.5-6 cm × 3-7 mm, base obtuse to rounded and subamplexicaul, apex obtuse, midvein distinct. Flower solitary and terminal, rarely 2 or 3(-6) in apparent raceme, 5merous. Pedicel purple, erect, 3.5-10.5 cm. Calyx lobes linear to linear-lanceolate, 1.1-2 cm, apex acuminate, veins 1-3. Corolla yellow, blue in middle of outer surface, 2.5-3.2 cm in diam., tube 1.5-2 mm; lobes elliptic to ovate-elliptic, 2-2.5 cm, apex obtuse to rounded. Nectaries 2 per corolla lobe, cupular, with pilose fimbriae 4.5-5 mm. Filaments 1-1.2 cm, base few barbate; anthers blue, ellipsoid, 2.5-3 mm. Style indistinct; stigma lobes suborbicular. Capsules ovoid-ellipsoid, 0.8-1.2 cm. Fl. Sep.

S and SE Xizang [Sikkim].

Scrub meadows, alpine meadows; 4300-5400 m.