Phlox speciosa subsp. occidentalis Pursh (Durand ex Torr.) Wherry
showy phlox
Polemoniaceae (Phlox family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
showy phlox
Polemoniaceae (Phlox family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Map
Distribution of Phlox speciosa subsp. occidentalis
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Introduction
Showy phlox is a red-listed species in British Columbia and is considered threatened in Canada. It is found in North America from southern British Columbia south to Idaho, Montana and northern California (Douglas et al. 1999). It reaches the northern limits of its distribution in British Columbia, where it is reported from the Okanagan Valley, from Summerland south to Skaha Lake and southwest to the Twin Lakes (COSEWIC 2004). Populations are particularly clustered around Yellow Lake and Twin Lakes, between Keremeos and Penticton (COSEWIC 2004). This is a species of "dry grasslands, shrublands, and open forests in the steppe and montane zones" (Douglas et al. 1999), where it may be found in sagebrush and Ponderosa pine communities (COSEWIC 2004) .
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Species Information
General:
Perennial herb from a woody taproot, becoming shrubby towards the base; stems erect, glandular or glandular-hairy above, hairy below, 15-40 cm tall.
Leaves:
Opposite, linear to lanceolate, to 7 cm long and 1 cm wide, the internodes well developed.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of loose, leafy-bracted, terminal clusters of stalked flowers; corollas pink to white, the tube 1-1.5 cm long, spreading to five wide lobes 1-1.5 cm long and notched at the tip; calyces glandular, the transparent segments between the 5 green ribs flat; styles 0.5-2 mm long.
Fruits:
Capsules, 3-chambered, few-seeded.
Illustration
If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia
Habitat and Range
Dry grasslands, shrublands and open forests in the steppe and lower montane zones; rare in SC BC, known recently only from Yellow Lake and Twin Lakes; S to ID, MT and N CA.Status Information
| Origin Status | Provincial Status | BC List (Red Blue List) | COSEWIC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native | S2 | Red | T (Nov 2004) |
BC Ministry of Environment: BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer.
Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Phlox speciosa var. occidentalis (Dur. ex Torr.) M.E. Peck
Similar Species
Phlox speciosa is most similar to Phlox longifolia, but the latter has longer styles (6-15 mm), non-glandular calyces, and un-notched, darker pink petals (Douglas et al. 1999). Non-flowering P. speciosa plants could be confused with several other herbaceous species that have linear to lanceolate leaves and occur in similar habitats.
Source: British Columbia Conservation Data Centre |