Frasera umpquaensis

Frasera umpquaensis is known to have low numbers of plants per occurrence, and a small total area of occupied habitat, in the Cascade Mountains, Oregon south to the Klamath Mountains, California. It is found in cool, moist forests and openings. There are active threats of timber harvest and fire, along with several other lesser threats. This species was negatively impacted by the Biscuit Fire in 2002, and is monitored by the Bureau of Land Management.

Frasera umpquensis occurs in the central-western portion of the Cascades Mountains of Oregon, with some isolated stations in the Klamath Mountains of southern Oregon and northern California. The most northern populations are in Lane County, Oregon and the most southern in California in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. Most of the populations are centered around the divide between the Rogue and Umpqua rivers in Douglas and Jackson counties, Oregon.

About 40 occurrences have been reported from Oregon and California, with close to a dozen historical occurrences (NatureServe 2021).

Timber harvest activity is a threat because sites are located in areas with active commercial timberlands. Smaller scale disturbances, such as recreation (camping), livestock grazing, roads, have damaged individual plants and may affect some of the smaller populations. Mining and fire are also threats (NatureServe 2021). In 2002-2003, populations in the Bureau of Land Management Medford District were noted to be in substantial decline after the devastating Biscuit Fire, and further, that the hotter the fire the lower the survivorship of Frasera umpquaensis (Kessler 2003). Three years after the fire, population numbers had recovered, however, flowering was still reduced (Anjozian 2009).