Frasera speciosa | |
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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 | |
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Frasera speciosa is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family (Gentianaceae) known by the common names elkweed, deer's ears, and monument plant. [2]
Frasera speciosa is a perennial herb growing from a woody base surrounded by rosettes of large leaves that measure up to 50 centimeters long by 15 wide. It produces a single erect stem which can reach two meters in height. The stem bears whorls of lance-shaped, pointed leaves smaller than those at the base. Each plant has a single very large dark colored root. [3]
The plant is monocarpic, growing for several years and only flowering once before it dies. [4] Flowering is synchronized among plants in a given area, with widespread, picturesque blooms occurring periodically. [5] It is not known why some plants in an area will not flower in a mass flowering event, or what cues the plants rely on to initiate flowering. The inflorescence is a tall, erect panicle with flowers densely clustered at the top and then spread out in interrupted clusters below. Each flower has a calyx of four pointed sepals and a corolla of four pointed lobes each one to two centimeters long. The corolla is yellow-green with purple spots and each lobe has two fringed nectary pits at the base. There are four stamens tipped with large anthers and a central ovary.
It blooms from July to August. [2]
It is native to the western United States, where it grows in mountain forests, woodlands, and meadows. It tends to grow alone, apart from other members of its species, and is browsed by elk and livestock. [6]
Frasera speciosa was evaluated by NatureServe as G4, "apparently secure", in 1986. 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. [1]
Galeopsis tetrahit, the common hemp-nettle or brittlestem hempnettle, is a flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe and northwestern Asia.
Lithospermum incisum is a species of flowering plant in the borage family known by several common names, including fringed puccoon, narrowleaf stoneseed, fringed gromwell, narrowleaf puccoon, and plains stoneseed. It is native to much of central Canada and the United States, where it is known from many types of habitat, but particularly piñon-juniper woodland. It is a hairy perennial herb growing from a narrow brown to black taproot and woody caudex. It produces a cluster of stems up to about 30 centimeters long. The stems are lined with narrow, pointed leaves up to 6 centimeters long. The slender, trumpet-shaped flowers are pale to bright yellow or gold, and may approach 4 centimeters long. The corolla face is 1 to 2 centimeters wide, its lobes sometimes ruffled. The smaller cleistogamous (closed) flowers are the main producers of seed.
Triteleia crocea, with the common names yellow triteleia and yellow tripletlily, is a monocot flowering plant in the genus Triteleia.
Collinsia multicolor is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family, known by the common names San Francisco blue eyed Mary and San Francisco collinsia. It is endemic to the San Francisco Bay Area, where it is known from San Francisco to Santa Cruz. As of 2008 there are 22 known occurrences. Populations south of Santa Cruz have been extirpated.
Chaenactis suffrutescens is a species of flowering plant in the aster family known by the common name Shasta chaenactis.
Leptosiphon parviflorus is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common name variable linanthus.
Lithospermum ruderale is a species of flowering plant in the borage family known by the common name western stoneseed or lemonweed. It is native to western Canada and the western United States, where it can be found in many types of habitat. A perennial herb growing from a taproot and woody caudex, it is covered with fine, more or less upright, hairs, especially on the stems. It produces a cluster of erect leafy stems ranging from 20 to 50 centimetres centimeters in height. The stems support lance-shaped leaves ranging from 2.5–10 cm (1–4 in) in length. Bunches of flowers with leaf-like bracts appear toward the top of the stem amongst the leaves. The corolla is fused at the base with five lobes which are light yellow, often slightly greenish, and about a centimeter long and wide. The style is short. The fruit consists of one or two, sometimes four, clustered glossy grey nutlets, 3.5 to 6, sometimes as much as 8 mm long.
Nemophila breviflora is a species of flowering plant in the borage family known by the common names basin nemophila, Great Basin nemophila, and Great Basin baby-blue-eyes. It is native to southwestern Canada and the northwestern United States, where it generally grows in wooded and forested areas in thickets and moist streambanks.
Phlox speciosa is a species of phlox known by the common name showy phlox. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to Arizona and New Mexico, where it occurs in sagebrush, pine woodlands, and mountain forests.
Ribes viscosissimum, also known as sticky currant, is a species of eudicot in the family Grossulariaceae. The species is native to North America. Pacific Northwest, Columbia Plateau, Great Plains, Great Basin, and southwest regions of western North America are native to this plant.
Scutellaria antirrhinoides is a species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common names nose skullcap and snapdragon skullcap. It is native to the western United States, where it grows in forests, woodlands, and open, rocky habitat types. It is a perennial herb producing an erect stem or cluster of stems up to 35 centimeters tall from a system of thin rhizomes. The stems are coated in short hairs which are curled or angled upward and sometimes have resin glands. The oval leaves are coated in tiny hairs and are oppositely arranged. The lowest leaves are borne on short petioles. Flowers emerge from the leaf axils. Each flower is held in a calyx of sepals with a large ridge or appendage on the upper part. The corolla measures up to 2 cm long, tubular in shape with a large upper and lower lip. The upper lip is folded into a beaklike protrusion and the lower has three flat lobes. The corolla is purple to blue with an area of white mottling on the lower lip.
Frasera albicaulis is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the common name whitestem frasera. It is native to the northwestern United States, where it grows in open areas in mountain habitat. It is a perennial herb growing from a woody base surrounded by rosettes of leaves, its stem growing 10 to 70 centimeters tall. The leaves are green with white margins. The basal leaves are lance-shaped, up to 30 centimeters long, and borne on petioles. Leaves higher on the stem are smaller and narrower and are oppositely arranged. The inflorescence is a dense panicle atop the stem, sometimes interrupted into a series of clusters of flowers. Each flower has a calyx of four pointed sepals and a corolla of four pointed lobes each one half to one centimeter long. The corolla is pale greenish white to light blue to purple, often dotted, streaked, or veined with darker blue. There are four stamens tipped with large anthers and a central ovary.
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 neglecta is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the common name pine green gentian.
Frasera parryi is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the common name Coahuila frasera.
Swertia perennis is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the common names felwort and star swertia. It is native to several regions of the northern hemisphere, including much of Eurasia and western North America. It is a plant of wetlands, particularly calcareous fens. It is common to abundant in many areas, but it is known to be negatively impacted by habitat fragmentation and other habitat destruction, and human activity has led to its extirpation from some areas where it was once common. It is a perennial herb producing usually one erect stem growing 10 to 50 centimeters tall. The basal leaves are spoon-shaped with rounded tips, and leaves higher on the plant are widely lance-shaped or somewhat oval, with pointed tips. The inflorescence is an open panicle of flowers atop the stem. Each flower has a calyx of four or five pointed sepals and a corolla of four or five pointed lobes each up to 1.3 centimeters long. The corolla is dull blue to violet in color with darker purplish veining or stippling. There are two rounded nectary pits at the base of each lobe of the corolla. Stamens tipped with large anthers surround a central ovary.
Frasera puberulenta is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the common name Inyo frasera.
Frasera tubulosa is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the common name Kern frasera.
Hydrophyllum capitatum, is a species of waterleaf known by the common name ballhead waterleaf. It is native to Western North America from British Columbia to Utah.