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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GILIA

Alva G. Day

Annual, perennial herb, generally erect
Stem glabrous, hairy, glandular, or cobwebby
Leaves simple, generally alternate; basal generally in rosette, toothed, pinnately lobed, or entire; cauline generally reduced; leaf tips, calyx lobes acute, acuminate, or needle-like
Inflorescence: flowers solitary or clustered, 1–many in axils of bracts
Flower: calyx membranous between ribs, membrane splitting or expanding; corolla > calyx, lobes generally ovate
Fruit generally ovoid; chambers 3, valves separating from top
Seeds 3–many, brown, generally gelatinous when wet
Species in genus: ± 70 species: w North America, South America
Etymology: (Felipe Gil, 18th century Spanish botanist)

Native

G. millefoliata Fisch. & C.A. Mey.

Plant densely glandular, skunk-like odor
Stem 8–30 cm; main stem short; branches generally long-decumbent
Leaves ± fleshy; basal in rosette, 1–2-pinnately lobed, lobes 2–5 mm; upper shorter, palmate
Inflorescence: clusters; flowers 2–6; pedicels 2–5 mm
Flower: calyx 4–6 mm, glandular, membrane purple or colorless, narrower than ribs; corolla 8–11 mm, tube yellow, throat included, with paired purple spots, lobes < 2 mm wide, obovate; stamens, style slightly exserted to base of lobes; pollen white
Fruit 7–9 mm, < calyx
Seeds 25–50
Chromosomes: 2n=18
Ecology: Stabilized coastal dunes
Elevation: < 10 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast, n Central Coast
Distribution outside California: s Oregon
Formerly in San Francisco
Horticultural information: TRY.