''Frasera albomarginata'' (

syn. The Botanical and Zoological Codes of nomenclature treat the concept of synonymy differently. * In botanical nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that applies to a taxon that (now) goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnae ...

''Swertia albomarginata'') is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the common name desert green gentian, or desert frasera. It is native to the southwestern United States from easternmost

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...

and

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...

, where it grows in open, dry areas, such as desert woodlands and grasslands.

Description

''Frasera albomarginata'' is a perennial herb producing one or more stems up to 30 to 60 centimeters tall. The leaves are green with distinct white margins. The basal leaves are lance-shaped, up to 9 centimeters long by one wide. Leaves higher on the plant are smaller and narrower and are borne in whorls or opposite pairs. The

inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed o ...

is an open

panicle 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 panicle are of ...

of flowers at the top of the stem. Each flower has a corolla of four pointed lobes which are greenish white, darker green at the tips, with purple speckles. There are four

stamen The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...

s tipped with large anthers and a central

ovary The ovary is an organ in the female reproductive system that produces an ovum. When released, this travels down the fallopian tube into the uterus, where it may become fertilized by a sperm. There is an ovary () found on each side of the body. ...

. Flowers bloom April to August.

References

External links

Jepson Manual TreatmentPhoto gallery
albomarginata Flora of California Flora of Colorado Flora of Nevada Flora of New Mexico Flora of Utah Flora of the California desert regions Flora of the Great Basin Natural history of the Mojave Desert Flora without expected TNC conservation status {{Gentianales-stub