Phlox floridana Benth.

Florida Phlox

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Florida Phlox is a native perennial in the Phlox family (Polemoniaceae). It is found in the southern half of Alabama. It is most common in the southernmost counties of Alabama. Florida Phlox occurs in sandy Longleaf pine woodlands, sandy mixed pine/hardwood forests, and on roadsides. It is an evergreen herbaceous perennial with lateral shoots that do not root at the nodes. The leaves are opposite, lanceolate to linear in outline, entire, and glabrous or slightly pubescent. The largest leaves are at or below the midpoint of the stem. Flowers are produced in terminal open cymes or panicles. The reduced upper leaves and bracts in the inflorescence are glandular pubescent. The corolla is salverform (a narrow tube with flat spreading lobes) with five lobes. The stamens are shorter than the corolla tube (included). Flower color ranges from pink, through purple, to almost white. The fruit is a capsule. Florida Phlox is very similar to Downy Phlox (Phlox pilosa Linnaeus). It has been postulated that Florida Phlox, which is an allotetraploid, arose from hybridization between the diploids Phlox pilosa Linnaeus ssp. pilosa, Phlox pilosa Linnaeus ssp. detonsa (A. Gray) Wherry, and Phlox carolina Linnaeus ssp. angusta Wherry. Downy Phlox has leaves that are usually pubescent, and the largest leaves are at or above the midpoint of the stem. Florida Phlox is only rarely available from wildflower nurseries. It prefers a sandy, well-draining soil in full to partial sun.--A. Diamond

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Native FACU- (NWPL)

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