Perennial or biennial erect glabrous mostly tall herbs, with opposite or verticillate leaves, and rather large white yellowish or bluish flowers, in terminal cymose panicles or thyrses. Calyx 4-parted, the segments narrow. Corolla rotate, 4-parted, the lobes convolute in the bud, each bearing 1 or 2 fimbriate or fringed glands within. Stamens 4, inserted on the base of the short corolla-tube; filaments subulate or filiform, sometimes united at the base; anthers oblong, versatile. Ovary ovoid, 1-celled; style slender or short, but distinct; stigma 2-lobed or nearly entire. Capsule ovoid, coriaceous, somewhat compressed, 2-valved, few-seeded. Seeds flattened, smooth, margined or narrowly winged. [In honor of John Fraser, a botanical collector.]

About 15 species, natives of North America, all but the following typical one far western.

1. Frasera Carolinensis Walt. American Columbo

Fig. 3364

Frasera carolinensis Walt. Fl. Car. 87. 1788.

Stem 3°-7° high, stout. Leaves mostly verti-cillate in 4's, those of the stem lanceolate or oblong, acute or acutish, 3'-6' long, the basal ones spatulate or oblanceolate, usually much larger, the uppermost small and bract-like; inflorescence thyrsoid-paniculate, large, often 2° long; flowers slender-pedicelled, about 1' broad; corolla yellowish white with brown-purple dots, its lobes broadly oblong, bearing a large circular long-fringed gland at or below the middle; style 2"-3" long; stigma 2-lobed; capsule much compressed, 6"-8" high, longer than the calyx.

In dry soil, western New York and Ontario to Wisconsin, south to Georgia and Tennessee. Yellow gentian. Pyramid-flower or -plant. June-Aug.