Ackerman’s frasera

Herbs perennial, 0.5–2.5 dm. Stems 1–several, with several rosettes, puberulent. Leaf blades narrowly white-margined, glabrous or abaxial surfaces puberulent proximally; basal narrowly oblanceolate, 1.4–14 × 0.2–0.7 cm, basal leaves usually shorter than lowest internode; cauline leaves opposite, distal blades nearly linear. Inflorescences narrow, 1.5–4 cm wide, ± continuous throughout or interrupted proximally. Flowers: calyx 4–8 mm; corolla white or slightly suffused with blue, dark blue-dotted, abaxially with a green central stripe, 6–9 mm, lobes proximally oblong, distally triangular, apex acuminate; corona scales deeply cleft into distally threadlike segments, 2 mm; style slender, distinct; nectaries and foveae 1 per lobe, fovea narrowly oblong, opening into an oblong differentiated area on the corolla surface, rim fringed all around but fringes shorter distally.

Flowering summer. Semibarren clay hillsides and wash bottoms; of conservation concern; 1700–1800 m; Utah.

Frasera ackermaniae is known only from Uintah County.

Frasera ackermaniae is similar to F. albicaulis, especially var. albicaulis, and its treatment as another variety of F. albicaulis might be considered appropriate. As noted in the original description, in F. ackermaniae the lowest branching of the inflorescence is near the base of the plant, with the lowest internode usually exceeded by the basal leaves, whereas in F. albicaulis var. albicaulis the lowest branching is higher, with the lowest internode generally longer than the basal leaves. Frasera ackermaniae also differs from F. albicaulis in its narrower leaves and in its ovate corolla lobes, which narrow gradually from midlength toward the acuminate apex, rather than more abruptly as in F. albicaulis.