Phlox austromontana

Family: Polemoniaceae – Phlox Family

Perennial herbs; 2” to 1' (0.5 to 3 dm) wide

Leaves: opposite; simple; entire; linear; can have hairs; 0.2” to 0.6” (5 to 15 mm) long

Flowers: 5 united petals, 5 lobed sepals, stamens usually 5; 1 pistil; flowers white, blue, pink, lavender, or yellowish; the flower tube is 0.32” to 0.6” (8 to 15 mm) long

Pollinators: other species in this family are pollinated by insects and hummingbirds

Fruits: capsule

Blooms in Arches National Park: April, May

Habitat in Arches National Park: desert shrub and pinyon-juniper communities

Location seen: outside the park on upper Mill Creek

Other: The genus name, “Phlox”, is the Greek word for flame in reference to the brightly colored flowers of many species. The species name, “austromontana”, means “of or from the southern mountains”.