''Frasera albicaulis'' is a species of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

in the family ''

Gentianaceae Gentianaceae is a family of flowering plants of 105 genera and about 1600 species. Etymology The family takes its name from the genus ''Gentiana'', named after the Illyrian king Gentius. Distribution Distribution is cosmopolitan (species), cosm ...

''. It is 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 In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a mai ...

is a dense

panicle In botany, a panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate (having a single stem per flower). The branches of a p ...

atop the stem, sometimes interrupted into a series of clusters of flowers. Each flower has a calyx of four pointed

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 Etymology The term ''sepalum'' ...

s 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

stamen The stamen (: stamina or stamens) is a part consisting of the male reproductive organs of a flower. Collectively, the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filament ...

s tipped with large anthers and a central

ovary The ovary () is a gonad in the female reproductive system that produces ova; when released, an ovum travels through the fallopian tube/ oviduct into the uterus. There is an ovary on the left and the right side of the body. The ovaries are end ...

References

External links

*
Jepson Manual TreatmentWashington Burke MuseumPhoto gallery
albicaulis Flora of the Northwestern United States Flora without expected TNC conservation status Taxa named by August Grisebach {{Gentianales-stub