Polemoniaceae
Phlox Family
Phlox maculata L.
- Notes:
Phlox maculata is similar to P. pilosa but is slightly taller (to 2 1/2’) with purple blotches on the stem. The leaves are larger (3” by 1/2”), more or less sheathing the stem. The inflorescence is cylindrical up to 6” long. The corolla is similar in color and size, while the calyx is shorter (5/16”) with shorter lobes. The fruit is similar. Flowering is from early to late June, and fruiting begins in mid-June. P. maculata is frequent on moist prairies and in marshes in northeastern Iowa and is infrequent elsewhere within its range in the state.
Cleft phlox, Phlox bifida Beck, is very uncommon in east-central Iowa. It is a low-growing, sprawling plant with leaves 5/8” long. There are two or three flowers in clusters at the upper nodes, and each petal is divided into two lobes. P. bifida is rare in sandy soil on prairies and in open woods and is often associated with some disturbance.
- Bibliography from Biodiversity Heritage Library
- Vascular Plants of Iowa
