Plant: perennial herb; thick tap root and enlarged caudex. STEMS to 2.5 m tall, minutely puberulent Leaves: in a basal rosette gradually reduced to whorled and opposite bracts upward, the basal leaves 15-45 cm long, 2.5-15 cm wide, oblanceolate, the long attenuated base narrowing into a winged petiole INFLORESCENCE: a compound cyme Flowers: 4-merous; sepals nearly distinct, linear-lanceolate, 15-17 mm long; petals 1.5-2 cm long, 5-8 mm wide, elliptic, white to greenish, usually with dark dots, the nectar pits 2, parallel, ca. 7 mm long, 1-3 mm wide, each outlined with hairs; a fringed corona 5-10 mm long at the base of the petals; pistil 6-20 mm long at anthesis Fruit: to 4 cm long, the style persistent. SEEDS dark brown, flattened, somewhat rectangular, 4-6 mm long, 2-3 mm wide, with a very narrow wing Misc: Conifer forests or wet meadows; 1500-2900 m (5000-9500 ft); May-Sep REFERENCES: Mason, Charles T. 1998 Gentianaceae. J. Ariz. – Nev. Acad. Sci. 30(2): 84.