Page authors: Don Knoke, David Giblin
Phlox longifolia
long-leaf phlox
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Widely distributed east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to the Rocky Mountains.

Habitat: Sagebrush desert to ponderosa pine forest openings, from low to middle elevations in the mountains.

Flowers: April-June

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Butterflies, moths

Description:
General:

Perennial from a taproot that is often branched below the surface, the stems 1-4 dm. tall, often woody at the base, glabrous to glandular or hairy.

Leaves:

Leaves opposite, linear, 1.5-8 cm. long and 1-2.5 mm. wide, widely spaced along the stem.

Flowers:

Inflorescence a loose, few-flowered cluster, leafy-bracteate, fragrant, with slender pedicels; calyx with keeled, translucent intervals between the herbaceous segments, 5 lobed; corolla pink to white, the tube 10-18 mm. long, up to twice as long as the calyx, the 5 lobes 7-15 mm. long, obovate; filaments attached above the middle of the corolla tube; style elongate, 6-15 mm. long, 3-parted at the tip; ovary superior.

Fruits:

Capsule 3-celled, with one seed in each cell.

Identification Notes:

The long style separates P. longifolia from the similar P. speciosa, which has a very short style, not over 2 mm.

Accepted Name:
Phlox longifolia Nutt.
Publication: J. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 7(1): 41-42. 1834.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Phlox grahamii Wherry
Phlox longifolia Nutt. ssp. calva Wherry
Phlox longifolia Nutt. ssp. compacta (Brand) Wherry
Phlox longifolia Nutt. ssp. cortezana (A. Nelson) Wherry
Phlox longifolia Nutt. ssp. humilis (Brand) Wherry
Phlox longifolia Nutt. ssp. longifolia [KZ99]
Phlox longifolia Nutt. ssp. longipes (M.E. Jones) Wherry
Phlox longifolia Nutt. ssp. typica Wherry
Phlox longifolia Nutt. ssp. viridis (E.E. Nelson) Wherry
Phlox longifolia Nutt. var. linearifolia (Hook.) Brand
Phlox longifolia Nutt. var. longipes (M.E. Jones) M. Peck
Phlox longifolia Nutt. var. puberula E.E. Nelson
Phlox longifolia Nutt. var. viridis (E.E. Nelson) Peabody
Phlox stansburyi (Torr.) A. Heller [JPM]
Phlox viridis E.E. Nelson
Phlox viridis E.E. Nelson ssp. compacta (Brand) Wherry
Phlox viridis E.E. Nelson ssp. longipes (M.E. Jones) Wherry
Phlox viridis E.E. Nelson ssp. viridis
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Phlox longifolia in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.

WA Flora Checklist: Phlox longifolia checklist entry.

OregonFlora: Phlox longifolia information.

E-Flora BC: Phlox longifolia atlas page.

CalPhotos: Phlox longifolia photos.

USDA Plants: Phlox longifolia information.

63 photographs:
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