Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in the Cascades, Olympics and Blue Mountains of Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Alberta, Wyoming, and Utah.
Habitat: Subalpine to alpine meadows.
Flowers: July-October
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Pollination: Bumblebees
Tufted perennial from thick, fleshy roots, the several glabrous stems usually simple and erect, 5-30 cm. tall.
Leaves opposite, 7-9 pairs, the lowest connected at the base and sheathing, the main cauline leaves 1-2.5 cm. long, broadly lanceolate to ovate-rotund, glabrous, semi-cordate and sessile.
Flowers mostly 1-3, terminal, occasionally pedunculate from the axil of the upper 1-2 leaves; calyx tube subtended by bracteoles, 4-10 mm. long, purplish to greenish, the 5 lobes highly variable, from oval and spreading to lanceolate and erect, twice as long as the tube to short and linear, or lacking; corolla tubular-funnelform, 2.5-4 cm. long, usually deep blue, streaked and mottled with green, the 5 lobes oblong-ovate, usually pointed, 5-10 mm. long, with lacerated projections in the sinuses; the 5 stamens attached to the corolla tube for about 1/3 their length, the attached portion broadly wing-margined; ovary superior, with a long stipe.
Capsule 1-celled, 2-valved.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Gentiana calycosa in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database
WA Flora Checklist: Gentiana calycosa checklist entry
OregonFlora: Gentiana calycosa information
E-Flora BC: Gentiana calycosa atlas page
CalPhotos: Gentiana calycosa photos