Phlox caespitosa is a species of phlox known by the common name tufted phlox. It is native to western North America from British Columbia through the Great Basin to New Mexico, where it grows in scrub, woodland, and other open plateau habitat. It is one of several cushion-forming species that occur in the same region and require careful observation to distinguish. In the past, this species and Phlox douglasii have been erroneously lumped together.
Description It is a mat-forming perennial herb growing in patches of short, hairy, glandular stems. The stems are lined with pairs of very narrow, sharp-tipped linear leaves each under a centimeter in length. The inflorescence is a solitary flower or cluster of up to three flowers at the tip of each stem. The flower is white or light pink or lavender with five rounded lobes. It is around a centimeter long.
Taxonomy Phlox caespitosa was given its scientific name by Thomas Nuttall in 1834. It is classified in the Phlox genus as part of the Polemoniaceae family. The species has four synonyms, including one from when it was described as a variety of Phlox douglasii by Herbert Louis Mason in 1925.
Table of Synonyms Name Year Rank Notes Phlox caespitosa subsp. eucaespitosa 1907 subspecies ≡ hom., not validly publ. Phlox caespitosa subvar. piperi 1907 subvariety = het. Phlox douglasii var. caespitosa 1925 variety ≡ hom. Phlox piperi 1899 species = het. Notes: ≡ homotypic synonym; = heterotypic synonym
References Citations
Sources Web sources
External links Jepson Manual Treatment Photo gallery