Distribution: East of the Cascades in Washington; British Columbia south to California and Arizona.
Habitat: Damp soil and meadowlands, from the valleys and foothills to well up in the mountains.
Flowers: July-September
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Tufted perennials from thick, fleshy roots, the 1-several stems erect to decumbent, 1.5-8 dm. tall.
Leaves 8-15 pairs, the lowermost reduced to sheathing, bladeless bases; blades of middle cauline leaves lanceolate to elliptic-ovate, 2-5 cm. long and 5-20 mm. broad; floral leaves shorter and broader.
Flowers few, crowded, arising from the upper nodes; peduncles 5-25 mm. long, with a linear to ovate bract at the top; calyx tube 3-9 mm. long, greenish-, bluish- or purplish-tinged, the 5 lobes unequal, from longer than the tube to lacking; corolla narrowly funnel-shaped, 2.5-4 cm. long, deep blue, mottled with green, the 5 lobes 4-6 mm. long, with 2-5 narrow segments between the lobes; stamens 5, shorter than the corolla tube; ovary superior, with a long stipe; style short, cleft.
Capsule 1-celled, 2-valved.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Gentiana affinis in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.
WA Flora Checklist: Gentiana affinis checklist entry.
OregonFlora: Gentiana affinis information.
E-Flora BC: Gentiana affinis atlas page.
CalPhotos: Gentiana affinis photos.
USDA Plants: Gentiana affinis information.