Frank Smith's Violet
Viola frank-smithii
NatureServe conservation status
Global (G-rank): G1
State (S-rank): S2
Utah Wildlife Action Plan status
- SGCN
External links
General information
Viola frank-smithii is a stunning purple violet in the Violaceae family which can be found growing on limestone and dolomite cliff faces in the Logan Canyon region. This narrow endemic plant grows in a unique habitat, with many other endemic friends, including Musineon lineare, Penstemon compactus, Primula maguirei and Erigeron cronquistii. Rock climbers may often find themselves staring down at one of these purple-flowered friends and should be careful not to disturb this delicate plant.
Description
Viola frank-smithii is a stunning purple violet in the Violaceae family which can be found growing on limestone and dolomite cliff faces in the Logan Canyon region. This narrow endemic plant grows in a unique habitat, with many other endemic friends, including Musineon lineare, Penstemon compactus, Primula maguirei and Erigeron cronquistii. Rock climbers may often find themselves staring down at one of these purple-flowered friends and should be careful not to disturb this delicate plant.
Phenology
Flowers in May to June
Diagnostic characteristics
Viola frank-smithii is readily confused with V. adunca, however it differs most obviously in the petal spur being shorter (1.6-2.3 mm long vs. 3.5-7 mm long).
Species range
Endemic to cliffs and near-vertical outcrops of carbonate rock in Logan Canyon and its tributaries in Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Cache County, north-central Utah. Extent of known range is approximately 30 square km.
Threats or limiting factors
Some occurrences are threatened by recreational rock-climbing activity: a 1994 survey identified potential or actual impacts in several areas. Although a pre-1992 draft management plan for climbing and rappelling was written by the Wasatch-Cache National Forest, it has never been implemented (Franklin 2005). In 2004, a climbing book was published that includes many new Logan Canyon climbing routes, so the threat from climbing remains. Fire may represent the most significant threat to individual occurrences (by removing shading of the cliff-base habitat by Douglas-fir forest).
Taxonomy
No, this species does not have taxonomic discrepancies