Frasera umpquaensis
Umpqua green-gentian
(c) Kayla Sweeten, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Gentianaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.2
Frasera umpquaensis (Umpqua green-gentian) is a native California perennial in the Gentianaceae family, recognized by leaf shape and lack of white margins on stem leaves.
Umpqua green-gentian is a rare (CNPS 2B.2) California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges in mountain meadows at elevations of 1,700 to 1,900 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces pale yellow-green flowers with blue-tinted lobes in dense, slightly interrupted inflorescences. Growing 30 to 140 centimeters tall with a single unbranched stem, it develops distinctive whorled lower leaves and opposite upper leaves. Its basal leaves are spoon-shaped to obovate, measuring 15 to 30 centimeters long and 3 to 10 centimeters wide, with acute tips and a glabrous surface. The flower's distinctive features include elliptic-ovate corolla lobes with long-fringed ridges between stamens and round nectary pits.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 3 sympatric species; key features are leaf shape and lack of white margins on stem leaves
Habitat and range
Habitat: Mountain meadows
Elevation: 1700-1900 m
Outside California: southwestern Oregon
Bloom period
Frasera umpquaensis blooms Jul-Aug.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.2
How to tell it apart
vs Swertia: Frasera has one nectar pit per petal; Swertia has two.; vs Chorizanthe: Frasera has four-petaled gentian flowers; spineflower has six perianth parts.; vs Nerium: Frasera is herbaceous; oleander is woody with milky sap.
Frequently asked questions
Is Frasera umpquaensis native to California?
Yes. Frasera umpquaensis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Frasera umpquaensis bloom?
Frasera umpquaensis blooms Jul-Aug.
What plant family does Frasera umpquaensis belong to?
Frasera umpquaensis is in the Gentianaceae family, genus Frasera.
Is Frasera umpquaensis rare or endangered?
Frasera umpquaensis carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.2, state rank S1.
What habitat does Frasera umpquaensis grow in?
Frasera umpquaensis grows in Mountain meadows.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Frasera albicaulis — Whitestem frasera
- Frasera albicaulis var. modocensis — Modoc frasera
- Frasera albicaulis var. nitida — Whitestem frasera
- Frasera albomarginata — Desert frasera
- Frasera albomarginata var. albomarginata — Desert green-gentian
- Frasera albomarginata var. induta — Clark mountain green-gentian
- Gentiana affinis var. ovata — Oregon gentian
- Gentiana calycosa — Explorers' gentian
- Gentiana fremontii — Fremont's gentian
- Gentiana newberryi — Alpine gentian
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-10-06
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.