Family - Polemoniaceae

Stems - Vegetative stems decumbent. Flowering stems erect to ascending, to 40cm tall. Both types typically densely pubescent to glabrous. Plants rhizomatous.

Leaves - Of fertile shoots - opposite, sessile, lanceolate, decussate, spaced +/-5cm apart, to 5cm long, 2cm wide, variously pubescent, entire. Of sterile shoots - elliptic to narrowly oblong.

Leaves of fertile shoots.

Leaves of sterile shoots.

Inflorescence - A fairly compact cyme, sometimes paniculate.

Flowers - Corolla white, with tube to 2cm long, glabrous. Corolla lobes 5, spreading, spatulate to obovate, to 2cm long, 1cm wide. Stamens 5, unequal in corolla tube. Calyx tube to 3mm long, densely pubescent to glabrous. Calyx lobes 5, to +3mm long.

Flowering - April - June.

Habitat - Open woods, slopes, moist ground.

Origin - Native to U.S.

Other info. - I found this plant growing in one patch on some wooded slopes near the South Grand River in the Settles Ford Conservation Area. The plants were mainly glabrous and about 30-40cm tall. They were growing in a fairly shaded location.
Typically Phlox divaricata has blue-purple flowers (form laphamii) and this plant can be found in the "Blue Flowers Opposite Page" of this website.

Photograph taken at the Settles Ford Conservation Area, Bates County, Mo., 4-14-00.