Date: May 12, 2012. Location: Ciha fen preserve (map)
| Classification Hierarchy | |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Subkingdom | Tracheophyta |
| Superdivision | Spermatophyta |
| Division | Magnoliophyta |
| Class | Magnoliopsida |
| Subclass | Asteridae |
| Order | Solanales |
| Family | Polemoniaceae |
| Phlox | Phlox |
| Species | Phlox bifida |
Date: May 12, 2012. Location: Ciha fen preserve (map)
USDA Plant Profile Flora of N. America BONAP
Scientific Name: Phlox bifida (phlox[G] =flame; bifida = 2-parted, a reference to the petal lobes)
Common Name: Cleft phlox, sand phlox
Origin: Native
Notes: In our area, only Phlox bifida has bifurcated petal lobes. The cleavage is approximately one fourth to one half the length of the petal lobe. There are other (non-native) species of Phlox with incised lobes but the incisions are not as deep.
The other native Phlox species in our area are P. divaricata, P. pilosa, and P. maculata.
Additional references: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.
Flowers: May; Petals are usually light blue but sometimes rose or white; each of the 5 petal lobes of the corolla are split deeply once (sometimes with additional shallow incisions).
Leaves: opposite, linear-lanceolate, young leaves become less hairy with maturity.
Habitat: sandy open places.
Glossaries of botanical terms: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
