Frank Smith's violet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Frank Smith's violet |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Viola (plant)
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| Species: |
frank-smithii
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Viola frank-smithii is a very special and rare type of violet flower. It's often called Frank Smith's violet. This unique plant grows only in one small area of Utah in the United States. You can find it specifically in Logan Canyon, which is part of the Bear River Range in Cache County. Because it grows only in this one place, scientists call it endemic to Utah.
Contents
What is Frank Smith's Violet?
Frank Smith's violet is a perennial herb. This means it's a plant that lives for more than two years and has soft, green stems instead of woody ones. It grows a short stem, usually only a few centimeters long.
Leaves and Flowers
Around the stem, you'll see old, dried leaves from past years, along with new, fresh leaves. The new leaves are shaped like a heart. The flowers of this violet are a pretty pale purple color. However, the very lowest petal of the flower is a bit different; it has a greenish tint. You can usually see these lovely flowers blooming in May and June.
Where Does Frank Smith's Violet Live?
This rare violet has a very specific home. It likes to grow on tall, straight limestone cliffs. These cliffs are often found in places that are shaded by certain trees.
Plant Neighbors
Some of the trees that provide shade for Frank Smith's violet include the tall Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), the Rocky Mountain maple (Acer glabrum), and the bigtooth maple (A. grandidentatum).
Many other plants also share this special cliff habitat. These include:
- Pink alumroot (Heuchera rubescens)
- Mat rock spiraea (Petrophyton caespitosum)
- Narrowleaf wildparsley (Musineon lineare)
- Maguire's primrose (Primula cusickiana var. maguirei)
- Cronquist's fleabane (Erigeron cronquistii)
- Cutleaf mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus ledifolius)
- Watson's prickly phlox (Leptodactylon watsonii)
- Bluebells (Mertensia oblongifolia)
- And various types of mosses.
This unique mix of plants and the specific cliff environment make Logan Canyon a very important place for the survival of Frank Smith's violet.
