SHOWY PHLOX Phlox speciosa Family Polemoniaceae - Phlox Family Division Anthophyta - Flowering Plants Risk Status Official status The Showy Phlox is on British Columbia's Red List (CDC=G5NR S1 T)(Nov 2004). Risk Status Distinguishing Features Distribution Habitat Why is it endangered? Biology Sources for more information Museum Specimens Image Credits: sketch in Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest, Hitchcock et al., 1971. Photo by Steve Cannings   Distinguishing features The Showy Phlox has white to bright pink flowers with green striped sepals that are about 1.3 cm across. It is easily distinguished by its five heart-shaped notched petals and narrow, lance-shaped, opposite leaves (7.5 cm long). Glandular-sticky, strong-smelling hair covers the sepals. It resembles long-leaf phlox but differs in having heart-shaped petal lobes. This rather tall plant (to 40 cm high) often clambers over steppe shrubs, creating a beautiful display and a faint perfume. Distribution Map Red dots indicate specimen records or confirmed breeding sites. British Columbia The Showy Phlox has a restricted range, inhabiting only the northern and western part of the sagebrush steppe. In southern British Columbia, it is known from the Twin Lakes area south of Penticton. It is also occurs on Thompson Plateau and Okanagan Highland (Penticton area north to Summerland, Olalla). North America It occurs southward throughout similar habitats into Oregon, and Washington, eastern half of Columbia Gorge. Occurs as far east as western Montana and as far south as Northern California. Habitat Dry sites in the steppe vegetation and lower montane zones, sagebrush and ponderosa pine areas are the preferred habitat of the Showy Phlox. Why is it endangered? This species along with others of the grasslands communities are endangered for a number of reasons. Livestock grazing, range re-seeding and off-road recreation have modified much of the remaining "undeveloped" grassland areas. In addition, cultivation, agricultural and urban development, prescribed burning, forest encroachment, road and trail development, alien plant and animal species introductions, and hydro-electric power projects have caused outright, irreversible losses of native grassland species in general. Because grasslands have been so influenced by human activities, a relatively large number of wildlife species associated with grasslands (including this plant species) are listed as threatened or endangered. Because of these combined influences and the relatively limited distribution of grasslands, "ancient" grasslands represent a much more endangered space in British Columbia than do "ancient" or old-growth forests. Biology Sources for more information Related On-line Sites to Visit Publications The Vascular Plants of BC, MOF, pt. 2, 1990, p. 101 The SOCAP Workshop Summary, The Nature Trust, 1989. Trees, Shrubs and Flowers to Know in British Columbia and Washington, Lyons and Merilees, 1995. Sagebrush Country, Taylor, 1992, p. 112. Museum Specimens this section sponsored by: Industry Canada