Frasera paniculata
Frasera montana
tuft frasera, Utah elkweed, Utah frasera
white frasera
usually 1.
1–several, with several rosettes.
blades white-margined;
basal linear-lanceolate to narrowly oblanceolate, 5–20 × 0.7–2(–3) cm;
cauline leaves opposite, distal blades lanceolate.
blades white-margined;
basal narrowly spatulate-oblanceolate to lanceolate, 7–30 × 0.5–1.5 cm;
cauline leaves opposite, blades narrowly lanceolate to linear.
diffuse.
narrow, 1.5–4 cm wide, dense.
calyx 3–6 mm;
corolla greenish white to greenish yellow, dark green- or purple-dotted, 7–12 mm, lobes elliptic-ovate, apex abruptly acuminate;
androecial corona ± fringed;
style slender, distinct;
nectaries 2 per lobe, in closely paired, ± separate foveae, foveae opening distal to nectaries, into a single widely ovate-triangular differentiated area on the corolla surface shaped ± like the spade on playing cards, rim ± sparsely short- to long-fringed.
calyx 3–6(–8) mm;
corolla white to cream, unmarked, 5–9 mm, lobes elliptic-ovate, apex rounded, apiculate;
androecial corona scales obovate-oblong, 1–2 mm, margins nearly entire to deeply lacerate or fringelike;
style slender, distinct;
nectaries and foveae 1 per lobe, foveae opening into an elliptic-obovate to suborbiculate differentiated area on the corolla surface, rim ± evenly fringed all around.
Frasera paniculata
Frasera montana
The only specimen from Nevada identified as Frasera paniculata has been reidentified as F. albomarginata var. albomarginata in studies for this flora.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Frasera montana is endemic to the mountains of western Idaho.
Frasera montana appears to be closely related to F. albicaulis and might be treated as another variety of that species, but its proportionately wide corolla lobes with rounded rather than acute to acuminate apices, reminiscent of the petals of apple blossoms, give the flowers of this attractive species a distinctive appearance. The differentiated areas on the corolla surface into which the foveae open are elliptic to nearly round and are proportionately shorter than those of any variety of F. albicaulis. Frasera montana might most readily be confused with F. albicaulis var. idahoensis, which likewise usually has unspotted corollas, but it can be distinguished not only by the shape of its corolla lobes but also by the differentiated areas on its corolla lobes with rims that are more or less evenly long-fringed all around; those of all varieties of F. albicaulis are distally more shallowly or not fringed. The androecial corona scales of both species are variable, but those of F. montana are generally cleft more or less longitudinally, if at all, whereas those of F. albicaulis var. idahoensis (but not all varieties of F. albicaulis) usually bear lateral as well as terminal lobes or fringes.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
SW CO Wildflowers
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
PNW Herbaria
