I. SPECIES INFORMATION 



A. CLASSIFICATION 



1. SCIENTIFIC NAME: Phlox kelsevi Britton var. 

 missoulensis (Wherry) Cronquist. 



2. COMMON NAME: Missoula phlox. 



3. FAMILY: Polemoniaceae (Phlox Family). 



4. GENUS: The genus Phlox occurs in North America 

 and northern Asia, and contains about 60 species 

 (Hitchcock et al. 1959) . In Montana, there are 11 

 native species (Dorn 1984). 



5. SPECIES: Phlox kelseyi var. missoulensis is 

 endemic to western and central Montana and is 

 currently known from Missoula, Granite, Powell, 

 Lewis and Clark, Cascade, Judith Basin, Beaverhead, 

 and Meagher counties. The variety missoulensis 

 was originally described as a distinct species in 

 1944 (Wherry 1944) , and was reduced to a variety 

 of P. kelseyi in 1959 (Hitchcock et al. 1959) . 

 The species also contains the typical variety, 

 var. kelsevi . which occurs from western and 

 central Montana, to central Colorado and south- 

 central Idaho. Some authors recognize var. 

 salina . which occurs in northeastern Nevada 

 (Cronquist et al. 1984) . The var. kelseyi is more 

 or less succulent, and occurs in moist, alkaline 

 meadows, while var. missoulensis is stiffer and 

 generally grows on drier, open slopes. 



There is some question about the taxonomic status 

 of var. missoulensis . Cronquist (Hitchcock et al. 

 1959) reduced Phlox missoulensis Wherry to a 

 variety of Phlox kelseyi . Wherry (1966) disagreed 

 with this, maintaining that "they differ 

 completely in indument and in numerous morphologic 

 details." Wherry further suggested that P. 

 missoulensis was closer to P. douqlasii (now known 

 as P. caespitosa ) and that if any reduction were 

 required it should be as a variety of P. 

 douqlasii . Also, small-leaved plants of Phlox 

 kelsevi var. missoulensis come close to larger- 

 leaved specimens of P. pulvinata . and can be hard 

 to distinguish. In a more recent, unfinished 

 study of Phlox kelseyi . Campbell (1991) concluded 

 that Phlox kelseyi var. missoulensis is a valid 

 taxon and that it "comprises a few sensitive. 



