Polemoniaceae : Phlox Family

Taxonomy

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Class: Dicoteldonae (two sead-leaves)

Family: Polemoniaceae

Genera: 3

Species: 6

Collomia linearis (Collomia)

Phlox alaskensis (Alaskan Phlox)

Phlox hoodii (Moss Phlox)

Polemonium acutiflorum (Tall Jacob's-ladder)

Polemonium boreale (Northern Jacob's-ladder)

Polemonium pulcherrimum (Showy Jacob's-ladder)

English Name(s):

Phlox, Polemonium


Family Traits

Description:

  • Plants can be herbaceous or woody (ours are all herbaceous).
  • Flowers perfect (bisexual) and regular in symmetry.
  • Flowers parts are usually in 5's ocasionally 4-merous (ours are all 5-merous).
  • Petals united a the bottom, forming a tube. The top petal lobes opening wide.
  • Ovary is 3-loculed (chambered) and is superior (above recepticle).
  • Fruit is a capsule.

Natural History:

  • Most plants in this family are adapted to arid environments.

Family Size:

World:

Genera: 18

Species: 320

North America:

Genera: 11

Species: 230+

Yukon:

Genera: 5

Species: 8-9



Illustrated Key To Family

Note: Move cursor over image for note on what to look for. Click on image to enlarge.

Collomia linearis (Collomia)

Phlox alaskensis (Alaskan Phlox)

Phlox hoodii (Moss Phlox)

Polemonium acutiflorum (Tall Jacob's-ladder)

Polemonium boreale (Northern Jacob's-ladder)

Polemonium pulcherrimum (Showy Jacob's-ladder)


Dicotomous Key To Family


Genera

Collomia

World= 14 sps.

N.A.= 11 sps.

Yukon= 1 sps.

Central Yukon= 1sp.

Phlox

  • Low tufted or matted plants with taproots.
  • Perennial
  • Leaves simple (one blade), opposite, margins entire (smooth).
  • Fruit an ovoid shaped capsule that ruptures the calyx (sepals) at maturity.

World= 61 sps.

N.A.= 60 sps.

Yukon= 2 sps.

Central Yukon= 2sp.

Polemoniuim (Jacob's-ladder)

  • Perennial plants
  • Herbaceous or sometimes subligneous (almost woody) at the base.
  • Leaves alternate and pinnately divided or lobed.
  • Flowers different shades of blue.
  • Fruit is a few to several seeded capsule enclosed in the calyx (sepals).

World= 23 sps.

N.A.= 20 sps.

Yukon= 3 sps.

Central Yukon= 3sp.

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