Phlox austromontana is a species of phlox known by the common name mountain phlox. It is native to the southwestern United States and Baja California, where it grows in forested and wooded mountain habitat, scrub, and open areas. It is a mat-forming perennial herb growing in patches of very short stems. The lance-shaped leaves are no more than 1.5 centimeters long and are arranged oppositely in pairs on the short stems. The inflorescence is a solitary flower at the tip of each stem. The flower is white or light pink or lavender with five rounded lobes. It is just over a centimeter long.
Taxonomy The botanist Frederick Vernon Coville scientifically described and named Phlox austromontana in 1893. It is part of the Phlox genus which is classified in the Polemoniaceae family. The species has four accepted subspecies.
Phlox austromontana subsp. austromontana – Widespread from Washington and Wyoming to Baja California Phlox austromontana subsp. densa – Native to Oregon to Arizona Phlox austromontana subsp. jonesii – Native to Utah Phlox austromontana subsp. prostrata – Native to the southwestern US
Phlox austromontana has synonyms of the species or one of its four subspecies.
Table of Synonyms Name Year Rank Synonym of: Notes Phlox acerba 1938 species subsp. prostrata = het. Phlox aciculifolia 1911 species subsp. austromontana = het. Phlox austromontana var. jonesii 1985 variety subsp. jonesii ≡ hom. Phlox austromontana subsp. lutescens 2009 subspecies subsp. austromontana = het. Phlox austromontana var. lutescens 1985 variety subsp. austromontana = het. Phlox austromontana var. prostrata 1899 variety subsp. prostrata ≡ hom. Phlox austromontana subsp. vera 1939 subspecies subsp. austromontana = het. Phlox cyanea 1939 species subsp. austromontana = het. Phlox densa 1907 species subsp. densa ≡ hom. Phlox diffusa subsp. subcarinata 1939 subspecies subsp. austromontana = het. Phlox diffusa var. subcarinata 1941 variety subsp. austromontana = het. Phlox douglasii var. austromontana 1925 variety P. austromontana ≡ hom. Phlox jonesii 1944 species subsp. jonesii ≡ hom. Phlox lutescens 2003 species subsp. austromontana = het. Phlox pinifolia 1907 species subsp. austromontana = het. Notes: ≡ homotypic synonym; = heterotypic synonym
References Citations
Sources Web sources
External links
Jepson Manual Treatment Photo gallery