POLEMONIACEAE

PHLOX FAMILY

Robert W. Patterson, Family Editor

Annual, perennial herb, shrub, vine
Leaves simple or compound, cauline (or most in basal rosette), alternate or opposite; stipules 0
Inflorescence: cymes, heads, or flowers solitary
Flower: calyx generally 5-ribbed, ribs often connected by translucent membranes that are generally torn by growing fruit; corolla generally 5-lobed, radial or bilateral, salverform to bell-shaped, throat often well defined; stamens generally 5, epipetalous, attached at same or different levels, filaments of same or different lengths, pollen white, yellow, blue, or red; ovary superior, chambers generally 3, style 1, stigmas generally 3
Fruit: capsule
Seeds 1–many, gelatinous or not when wet
Genera in family: 19 genera, 320 species: Am, n Eur, n Asia; some cultivated (Cantua, Cobaea (cup-and-saucer vine), Collomia, Gilia, Ipomopsis, Linanthus, Phlox )
Recent taxonomic note: *See also revised taxonomy of Porter and Johnson 2000 Aliso 19(1):55–91; Porter 1998 Aliso 17:83–85
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LEPTODACTYLON

Robert W. Patterson and Paul A. Meyers

Perennial, open or cespitose
Stem decumbent to erect
Leaves cauline with clustered axillary leaves, alternate or opposite, simple, deeply lobed; lobes linear, generally spine-tipped, palmate or pinnate
Inflorescence generally terminal; flowers generally sessile
Flower: calyx membrane wider than ribs, lobes 4–6, linear; corolla funnel-shaped or salverform, lobes 4–6; stamens attached at same level, anthers at throat, pollen yellow; style included
Species in genus: 7 species: w North America
Etymology: (Greek: narrow finger)
Reference: [Gordon-Reedy 1989 Madroño 37:28–42]

Native

L. pungens (Torr.) Rydb.

Plant generally hairy, glandular or not
Stem 1–3 dm
Leaves alternate, 3–7-lobed; middle lobe generally longest, spine-tipped
Flower generally opening in evening; calyx lobes generally unequal, spine-tipped, membrane extended along lobes; corolla funnel-shaped, tube + throat 7–15 mm, lobes 7–10 mm, obovate, white or pink with purplish shading on outer surface; stamens attached at throat
Chromosomes: 2n=18
Ecology: Open, rocky areas in montane, subalpine forests, alpine fell-fields
Elevation: 1700–4000 m.
Bioregional distribution: California
Distribution outside California: to British Columbia, Rocky Mtns
Flowering time: May–Aug
Synonyms: subsp. hallii (Parish) H. Mason; subsp. hookeri (Douglas) Wherry; subsp. pulchriflorum (Brand) H. Mason
Some proposed subspp. sort well elsewhere, but not in CA. Further study warranted
Recent taxonomic note: *Linanthus pungens (Torr.) J.M. Porter & L.A. Johnson
Horticultural information: DRN, DRY, SUN: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.