Frasera speciosa

Frasera speciosa is a very large plant that flowers once before it dies (monocarpic), but may live for many years before flowering. 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. The top of the root is a fleshy structure that may be branched so that a plant may have several rosettes. 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. 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. Flowers 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). The dish shaped flowers are found above the base of the leaves in each whorl. 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. Flowers do not have a noticeable fragrance. Each fertilized flower produces an oblong fruit called a capsule that is 18–25 millimeters long. Each capsule contains approximately sixty seeds. ==Taxonomy==

Frasera speciosa was described in an unpublished manuscript by the botanist David Douglas.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. As of 2024 this continues to be the generally accepted classification of this species. However, in some sources Hooker is credited with the description rather than Grisebach. Names The genus name, Frasera, was coined by Thomas Walter in 1788 in honor of the plant collector John Fraser. From the scientific name it is called "giant frasera". Related to its ecology it is called "elkweed", "deertongue", For its appearance it is called "green gentian", "monument plant", ==Range and habitat==

Frasera speciosa grows throughout the western United States and into northern Mexico. Conservation 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. ==Ecology==

Though, previously, thought to be a biennial plant, Frasera speciosa lives many years before flowering. The leaves of young plants are eaten by elk and cattle. 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. == References ==