Frasera albicaulis var. cusickii

(A. Gray) C. L. Hitchcock in C. L. Hitchcock et al.

Vasc. Pl. Pacif. N.W. 4: 60. 1959.

Common names: Cusick’s swertia
Endemic
Basionym: Frasera cusickii A. Gray Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 22: 310. 1887
Synonyms: F. caerulea Mulford Leucocraspedum coeruleum (Mulford) Rydberg Swertia albicaulis var. cusickii (A. Gray) J. S. Pringle S. nitida subsp. cusickii (A. Gray) Abrams
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 14.

Stems glabrous. Leaf blades glabrous or puberulent only near base and abaxially along midvein. Flowers: calyx glabrous; corolla greenish white or pale to med­ium blue, generally with dark blue to purple spots; corona scales ovate to elliptic, 2.5–3(–4.5) mm, margins entire or shallowly undulate-erose or toothed; rim of differentiated area on corolla surface fringed all around, fringes shorter near distal end.


Phenology: Flowering early summer.
Habitat: Dry, rocky slopes, open pine woods.
Elevation: 800–2200 m.

Discussion

Variety cusickii is endemic to the mountains of western Idaho and the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
James S. Pringle +
(A. Gray) C. L. Hitchcock in C. L. Hitchcock et al. +
Frasera cusickii +
Cusick’s swertia +
Idaho +  and Oreg. +
800–2200 m. +
Dry, rocky slopes, open pine woods. +
Flowering early summer. +
Vasc. Pl. Pacif. N.W. +
F. caerulea +, Leucocraspedum coeruleum +, Swertia albicaulis var. cusickii +  and S. nitida subsp. cusickii +
Frasera albicaulis var. cusickii +
Frasera albicaulis +
variety +