OF THE CAROLINAS & GEORGIA

Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Asterids: Ericales

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Phlox carolina   FAMILY Polemoniaceae   Go to FSUS key



INCLUDING PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Phlox carolina ssp. carolina   FAMILY Polemoniaceae

INCLUDED WITHIN Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)

Phlox glaberrima

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)

Phlox carolina ssp. alta

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)

Phlox carolina ssp. angusta

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)

Phlox carolina ssp. carolina

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)

Phlox carolina ssp. turritella

INCLUDED WITHIN Manual of Vascular Plants of NE US & Adjacent Canada (Gleason & Cronquist,1991)

Phlox glaberrima

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 159-01-009:

Phlox carolina   FAMILY Polemoniaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)

Phlox carolina

 

COMMON NAME:
Carolina Phlox, Thick-leaf Phlox, Giant Phlox


         To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.

image of Phlox carolina, Carolina Phlox, Thick-leaf Phlox, Giant Phlox

JK Marlow    jkm230523_3346

May    Greenville County    SC

Watson-Cooper Heritage Preserve

image of Phlox carolina, Carolina Phlox, Thick-leaf Phlox, Giant Phlox

JK Marlow    jkm0506i_11

June    Oconee County    SC

image of Phlox carolina, Carolina Phlox, Thick-leaf Phlox, Giant Phlox

JK Marlow    jkm0506i_12

June    Oconee County    SC

image of Phlox carolina, Carolina Phlox, Thick-leaf Phlox, Giant Phlox

JK Marlow    jkm080629_062

June    Greenville County    SC

Chandler Heritage Preserve

image of Phlox carolina, Carolina Phlox, Thick-leaf Phlox, Giant Phlox

JK Marlow    jkm080629_066

June    Greenville County    SC

Chandler Heritage Preserve

image of Phlox carolina, Carolina Phlox, Thick-leaf Phlox, Giant Phlox

JK Marlow    jkm080629_074

June    Greenville County    SC

Chandler Heritage Preserve

Leaves ovate-lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).

image of Phlox carolina, Carolina Phlox, Thick-leaf Phlox, Giant Phlox

JK Marlow    jkm180623_2996

June    Greenville County    SC

Tall Pines Wildlife Management Area

Leaves without distinct lateral and marginal veins, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).

image of Phlox carolina, Carolina Phlox, Thick-leaf Phlox, Giant Phlox

JK Marlow    jkm180623_3001

June    Greenville County    SC

Tall Pines Wildlife Management Area

P. carolina, P. glaberrima & P. maculata are a taxonomically difficult group, per Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains (Smith, 1998).

image of Phlox carolina, Carolina Phlox, Thick-leaf Phlox, Giant Phlox

JK Marlow    jkm190604_9035

June    Greenville County    SC

Stamens equalling or exceeding the corolla tube (thus in part exserted), per Weakley's Flora.

image of Phlox carolina, Carolina Phlox, Thick-leaf Phlox, Giant Phlox

JK Marlow    jkm190604_9038

June    Greenville County    SC

Typically, P. carolina's calyxes longer, more cylindrical than P. glaberrima, per Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains (Smith, 1998).

image of Phlox carolina, Carolina Phlox, Thick-leaf Phlox, Giant Phlox

JK Marlow    jkm210624_1563

June    Greenville County    SC

Tall Pines Wildlife Management Area

I don't think that the books tell us that occasionally leaves may be whorled (?).

image of Phlox carolina, Carolina Phlox, Thick-leaf Phlox, Giant Phlox

JK Marlow    jkm090709_067b

July    Haywood County    NC

Pisgah National Forest: Pisgah Ranger District

Calyx subcylindric, the sepals fairly broad, with a rather weak midrib, per Weakley's Flora.

image of Phlox carolina, Carolina Phlox, Thick-leaf Phlox, Giant Phlox

JK Marlow    jkm230713_4401

July    Greenville County    SC

Watson-Cooper Heritage Preserve

image of Phlox carolina, Carolina Phlox, Thick-leaf Phlox, Giant Phlox

Keith Bradley    kab_phlox_carolina_1678

July    Haywood County    NC

Blue Ridge Parkway

image of Phlox carolina, Carolina Phlox, Thick-leaf Phlox, Giant Phlox

Ron Lance    rwl_phlox_carolina

August    Jackson County    NC

Big Ridge Preserve

image of Phlox carolina, Carolina Phlox, Thick-leaf Phlox, Giant Phlox

JK Marlow    jkm211027_4648

October    Transylvania County    NC

DuPont State Forest

Largest leaves near middle of the stem, usually 4-12cm long and 5-27mm wide, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).

 

 

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Phlox carolina   FAMILY Polemoniaceae

INCLUDING PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Phlox carolina ssp. carolina   FAMILY Polemoniaceae

INCLUDED WITHIN Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Phlox glaberrima

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Phlox carolina ssp. alta

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Phlox carolina ssp. angusta

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Phlox carolina ssp. carolina

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Phlox carolina ssp. turritella

INCLUDED WITHIN Manual of Vascular Plants of NE US & Adjacent Canada (Gleason & Cronquist,1991)
Phlox glaberrima

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 159-01-009:
Phlox carolina   FAMILY Polemoniaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Phlox carolina

 

Find by SCIENTIFIC NAME:

1056

Forb
Perennial

Habitat: forests, woodlands, woodland borders, barrens, per Weakley's Flora

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

Common (uncommon in Coastal Plain of GA & NC)

map
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.

LEAVES:
Simple
Opposite

FLOWER:
Spring/Summer
Lavender/Pink/White
Radially symmetrical
5-merous
5-lobed salverform corolla
5 exserted stamens
Superior ovary
Bisexual

FRUIT:
Spring/Summer
Capsule

 

TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!



 


Find by SCIENTIFIC NAME: