POLEMONIACEAE 



POLEMONIUM FAMILY 



BLUE PHLOX 



Phlox divaricata L. 



This is a common spring flower in woods. It blooms from 

 April to June and is found from Quebec to Ontario and Minne- 

 sota, south to Florida and Louisiana. Throughout Illinois it is 

 common and in northern 

 woodlands is particularly 

 abundant. 



The slender under- 

 ground stem is perennial 

 and bears aerial shoots 

 that are partly creeping 

 and partly ascending up 

 to I foot in height. The 

 leafy shoots remain green 

 all winter and begin 

 growing very early in 

 spring. Leaves of the 

 sterile shoots are ordi- 

 narily less pointed than 

 those of the flowering 

 stem. 



The narrow green 

 teeth of the calyx are 

 considerably longer than 

 the tube. The pale lilac 

 or bluish corolla con- 

 sists of a narrow tube 

 and a flat 5-lobed, very 

 rarely 6-lobed, limb. Usually the lobes are notched at the end 

 but sometimes are entire. The 5 short stamens are attached 

 at different heights in the corolla tube. The pistil consists of a 

 3-celled ovary, a slender style and 3 stigmas. The fruit is a 

 capsule containing usually 3 seeds. 



The Wild Sweet William, Phlox maculata L., Is a less common 

 Phlox of northern Illinois prairies, found infrequently throughout. 

 It is striking because of the 3-4-inch clusters of large reddish purple 

 flowers, which sometimes have a deep purple eye, and the purple- 

 spotted stem 1-3 feet high. 



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