Frasera speciosa | |
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Frasera speciosa flower photographed in the Whitman National Forest, Oregon | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Gentianales |
Family: | Gentianaceae |
Genus: | Frasera |
Species: | F. speciosa |
Binomial name | |
Frasera speciosa | |
Synonyms [2] | |
List
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Frasera speciosa is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family (Gentianaceae) known by the common names elkweed, monument plant, and green gentian. When blooming it grows a tall stalk with numerous flowers that have purple dotted green petals. Each plant can flower just once before it dies.
Frasera speciosa is a very large plant that flowers once before it dies (monocarpic), but may live for many years before flowering. [3] Plants that are not yet ready to flower are made up of strap like leaves with short stalks in a low cluster (basal leaves). Though not as striking as the very tall flowering stalk, this stage of growth is quite unique in appearance and size in their range. [4] The basal leaves are green with a waxy coating (glaucous) and 7–50 centimeters long and 1–15 centimeters wide. [5] [3] Their shape is like a spoon with a narrower base (spatulate) to being much longer than wide and with the widest portion near the tip (oblanceolate) with either a pointed or rounded tip. [3]
Frasera speciosa has large dark colored fleshy roots that store starch for use when they bloom. [6] [7] The top of the root is a fleshy structure that may be branched so that a plant may have several rosettes. [8]
Flowering is generally by plants with between 25 and 36 leaves in the previous season, but may occur in plants with twelves or more leaves. [9] Mature plants have one, large, thick, flowering stem that has no branches. The flowering stem is also covered in leaves (cauline leaves) that start out large at the base and decrease in size towards the top. [4] The stem leaves are arranged in three to six groups with bare stem in between (whorls) together with the flowers. At full size the flowering stem will be between a half meter and two meters tall. [3] Flowering is synchronized among plants in an area, with widespread, picturesque blooms occurring periodically. [10]
The flowering stem is densely packed with blooms, the ones lower down on the stem will have small stems attaching them to the main stem (pedunculate) while the upper ones attach directly to the main stem (sessile). [3] Each plant may produce as many as six-hundred blooms. [11] The dish shaped flowers are found above the base of the leaves in each whorl. [12] Frasera speciosa has flowers with four petals, silvery green or pale green in color with a variable amount of purple flecking or darker green spots, from almost none at all to nearly covering the petals. [6] [4] [12] [7] Each petal is 6–20 millimeters long and a narrow spear point shape with two nectar glands at the base. Between and behind each of the petal lobes are four very narrow and sharply pointed sepals, 9–25 millimeters long. [3] [5] Flowers do not have a noticeable fragrance. [8]
Each fertilized flower produces an oblong fruit called a capsule that is 18–25 millimeters long. [3] Each capsule contains approximately sixty seeds. [11]
Frasera speciosa was described in an unpublished manuscript by the botanist David Douglas. Using the manuscript and specimens it was given a complete description by August Grisebach in 1837. He published this information in William Jackson Hooker's book Flora Boreali-Americana while giving Douglas credit for his work on the species, which is why it cited as "Douglas ex Griseb." in later botanical sources. [13] [2] As of 2024 this continues to be the generally accepted classification of this species. [14] [15] However, in some sources Hooker is credited with the description rather than Grisebach. [14] No valid subspecies are recognized. [2] [14]
The genus name, Frasera , was coined by Thomas Walter in 1788 in honor of the plant collector John Fraser. [13] The species name, "speciosa", means "showy" in Latin. As a widespread and easily recognizable plant it has many common names. [4] From the scientific name it is called "giant frasera". Related to its ecology it is called "elkweed", "deertongue", [4] and "deers' ears". [16] For its appearance it is called "green gentian", "monument plant", [4] and "turret plant". [17]
Frasera speciosa grows throughout the western United States and into northern Mexico. [2] It grows in the mountains of the Pacific Coast states of California and Oregon, and also grows in Yakima County, Washington. In the interior states it can be found in much of Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. In the Rocky Mountains it grows in much of Idaho, western Montana, almost all of Wyoming, Colorado, and mostly in the northern parts of New Mexico. In the southern part of New Mexico it is only found in Grant County. It also grows in the Black Hills of South Dakota in three counties. The only part of Texas where it is recorded is Culberson County in the far west of the state. [15] In Mexico it grows in four states, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Sonora, and Tamaulipas. [18]
NatureServe evaluated Frasera speciosa in 1986 and evaluated the species as apparently secure (G4) across its range. This means that at a global level it has fairly low risk of extinction due to an extensive range and/or many populations, but with some uncertainty about if there is any direction for population stability. They also found it to be secure (S5) at the state level in Montana and apparently secure (S4) in Wyoming. The only state where it was found to be vulnerable (S3) is Nevada. The rest of its extensive range has not been evaluated. [1]
Though previously though to be a biennial plant, Frasera speciosa live many years before flowering. [6] Plants have a very high rate of death when seedings, but the average lifespan of plants still 6.8 years. One population has been observed for 35 years, with some plants still not flowering. From this the average age of flowering plants is estimated to be 40 years. [6] Though an unknown mechanism the plants synchronize their blooms in order to attract more pollinators and to be less of a resource for herbivores. [6]
Plants usually have a fixed number of basal leaves, with studies finding them to have 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 16, 20, 25, 30, 36, 42, 49, 56, 64, 72, 80, or 90 leaves, with numbers above 56 only found at lower altitudes. Plants do not always have more leaves when older, occasionally having fewer leaves than in a previous year. Leaves begin developing underground two to three years before they emerge. [9]
Seeds are generally only deposited within two meters of the parent plant. [9] The previous generation of plants also provide a favorable environment for seeds to germinate. Field observations found that twice as many seeds survived their first year of growth amid the debris left by the previous generation of plants as did in areas of bare soil. [19]
The leaves of young plants are eaten by elk and cattle. [4]
The flowers are visited by bumblebees such as Bombus centralis , Bombus rufocinctus , Bombus bifarius , and Bombus sylvicola to collect nectar with the shape of the flowers guiding the bees to make contact with the reproductive parts. [8] [6] They are a primary pollinator of this species. [6] [20] Bees in the genus Megachile and Anthophora terminalis also visit the flowers, but were observed to collect pollen rather than seeking nectar. [8] [20] Other frequent visitors include moths, flies such as Dilophus caurinus, the plasterer bee Colletes kincaidii , the mining bee Andrena thaspii, the orange-legged furrow bee (Halictus rubicundus), and Lasioglossum hemimelas. [8]
Cirsium vulgare, the spear thistle, bull thistle, or common thistle, is a species of the Asteraceae genus Cirsium, native throughout most of Europe, Western Asia, and northwestern Africa. It is also naturalised in North America, Africa, and Australia and is an invasive weed in several regions. It is the national flower of Scotland.
Primula sect. Dodecatheon is a section of herbaceous flowering plants in the family Primulaceae. Primula species in this section were formerly placed in a separate genus, Dodecatheon. The species have basal clumps of leaves and nodding flowers that are produced at the top of tall stems rising from where the leaves join the crown. The genus is largely confined to North America and part of northeastern Siberia. Common names include shooting star, American cowslip, mosquito bills, mad violets, and sailor caps. A few species are grown in gardens for their showy and unique flower display.
Sanguinaria canadensis, bloodroot, is a perennial, herbaceous flowering plant native to eastern North America. It is the only species in the genus Sanguinaria, included in the poppy family Papaveraceae, and is most closely related to Eomecon of eastern Asia.
Aquilegia coerulea, the Colorado columbine, Rocky Mountain columbine, or blue columbine, is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, native to the Rocky Mountains and some of the surrounding states of the western United States. It is the state flower of Colorado. The Latin specific name coerulea means "sky blue".
Paeonia brownii is a low to medium height, herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Paeoniaceae. It has compound, steely-gray, somewhat fleshy leaves and small drooping maroon flowers. Its vernacular name is Brown's peony, native peony or western peony. It is native to the western United States and usually grows at altitude, often as undergrowth in part-shade. The fleshy roots store food to carry the plant through the dry summers and produce new leaves and flowers the following spring.
Ipomopsis aggregata is a species of biennial flowering plant in the phlox family, Polemoniaceae, commonly known as scarlet trumpet, scarlet gilia, or skyrocket because of its scarlet red flowers with lobes curving back as if blown back by rocketing through the air.
Orchis mascula, the early-purple orchid, early spring orchis, is a species of flowering plant in the orchid family, Orchidaceae.
Neotinea ustulata, the burnt orchid or burnt-tip orchid, is a European terrestrial orchid native to mountains in central and southern Europe, growing at up to 2,400 m (7,900 ft) elevation. The plant is considered Endangered in Great Britain and Least Concern internationally based on IUCN Red List criteria. The burnt-tip orchid was voted the county flower of Wiltshire in 2002 following a poll by the wild flora conservation charity Plantlife.
Gentiana andrewsii, the bottle gentian, closed gentian, or closed bottle gentian, is an herbaceous species of flowering plant in the gentian family Gentianaceae. Gentiana andrewsii is native to northeastern North America, from the Dakotas to the East Coast and through eastern Canada.
Anchusa officinalis, also knowns as common bugloss or common alkanet, is a species of flowering plant in the borage family. It is native to Europe and small parts of western Asia, but has been escaped from cultivation to grow in additional locations in Europe and the Americas. The flowers are noted for their popularity with bumblebees due to a large nectar flow. The plants have been used in traditional medicines, but were falling out of favor by the early 1800s. They are still planted in gardens for their popularity with bees and their blue flowers.
Pedicularis groenlandica is a showy flowering plant in the family Orobanchaceae commonly known as elephant's head, little pink elephant, elephantella, or similar common names inspired by the resemblance of the flower to the head of an elephant. It is also less commonly known as butterfly tongue for the long beak on the flower. Like many other plants in genus Pedicularis, it is a parasitic plant and depends on host plants to survive.
Dicentra eximia is a flowering plant with fernlike leaves and oddly shaped flowers native to the Appalachian Mountains. It is similar to the Pacific bleeding-heart, which grows on the Pacific Coast. Dicentra eximia is a perennial herb in the Papaveraceae family.
Mertensia ciliata is a species of flowering plant in the borage family known by the common names tall fringed bluebells, mountain bluebells, and streamside bluebells.
Frasera albomarginata is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the common name desert green gentian, or desert frasera.
Frasera fastigiata is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the common name clustered green gentian. It is native to the northwestern United States, where it grows in meadows and other mountain habitat. It is a perennial herb producing a single stem which grows erect and often exceeds a meter in height. The basal leaves have oval or spoon-shaped blades up to 30 centimeters long by 10 wide. Leaves higher on the stem may be smaller and narrower. Some of the leaves have white margins. The inflorescence is a dense panicle atop the stem, sometimes interrupted into a series of clusters of flowers. Each flower has a corolla of four pointed lobes each roughly a centimeter long. They are greenish, often tinged with yellow or blue. There are four stamens tipped with large anthers and a central ovary.
Frasera tubulosa is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the common name Kern frasera.
Actaea arizonica is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family known by the common name Arizona bugbane. It is endemic to Arizona in the United States, where it occurs in Coconino, Gila, and Yavapai Counties. Like some other species in genus Actaea, this plant was formerly included in the genus Cimicifuga.
Telekia speciosa, also known as the heart-leaved oxeye or yellow oxeye, is a species of flowering plant within the family Asteraceae.
Penstemon secundiflorus, commonly known as sidebells penstemon, or orchid beardtoungue is a species of Penstemon that grows in dry forests, high plains, and scrub lands from Wyoming to Mexico. It is a herbaceous perennial plant that typically grows to a height of 20 to 50 cm and has narrow, lance-shaped leaves that are grayish-green in color. The flowers of the sidebells penstemon are tubular in shape and are arranged in a one-sided spike, with the blooms all facing the same direction, and for this reason was named "secundiflorus", which means "one-sided flowers". The flowers are most often delicate shades of orchid or lavender. It is sometimes used in xeriscaping, rock gardens, and wildflower meadows, and is well-suited to dry, sunny locations with well-draining soil.
Noccaea fendleri more commonly known as wild candytuft and alpine pennycress is a wildflower in the mustard family from western North America. It grows in mountains from northern Mexico to the northern United States. It blooms early in the spring and provides nectar to butterflies.