[The Gentian Family in the Columbia River Gorge]
White-stemmed Frasera

Frasera albicaulis var. columbiana

formerly Frasera albicaulis var. columbiana

The photo above shows a close-up of the flower of white-stemmed frasera as seen from the southern slopes of Mt. Adams............late May, 2005.
Characteristics:

1. 4-petaled flowers have their petals widely reflexed outward. The flowers are whitish to light blue, with a dark bluish to purplish mottling.

2. Flowers are located in tight racemes at the apex of the plant.

3. Stems are erect, and stiff.

4. The basal leaves are linear-oblanceolate in shape, to occasionally spatulate.

5. The cauline (stem) leaves are opposite, much reduced upwards on the stem, and linear-oblanceolate in shape.

6. Plants may be glabrous (green), but are more frequently densely short haired (a grayish color as a result).

Habitat:

A plant of dry plains, grasslands, and sage brush prairies from the lowlands well into the lower mountains.

Range:

White-stemmed Frasera is found from southern British Columbia south along the eastern edge of the Cascade Mts. to California and Nevada, and eastward to Idaho and western Montana.

In the Columbia River Gorge, white-stemmed frasera may be found between the elevations of 100'-3800' from Underwood, WA east past Biggs, OR.

The photo above shows the inflorescence of white-stemmed frasera as seen on the crest of the Columbia Hills.................June 3, 2006. Note the ants attracted to the glands at the base of each petal.

The photo above shows the stem leaves of white-stemmed frasera and the buds of the inflorescence as seen above 3000' on the southern slopes of Mt. Adams..........early May, 2005. Note the leaf margins which are both silver-lined and upturned.
Paul Slichter