PLANT: Compact, matted, taprooted perennial, with 8-many decumbent to ascending stems; stems 6-10(15) cm long, the lower internodes obscured by the leaves.
LEAVES: linear, firm, thick, grayish green, mucronate, glabrous to sparsely pubescent proximally, 8-15(-18) mm long, 1-2 mm wide.
INFLORESCENCE: flowers solitary, subsessile.
FLOWERS: calyx 6-10(-12) mm long, the membranes weakly ridged to distended; corolla white to light lavender, the tube 8-18 mm long, the lobes 5-8 mm long, obovate, obtuse; stamens inserted on the upper tube; stigmas located below most of the stamens.
NOTES: Rocky soils, slopes, coniferous forest and woodland: Apache, Cochise, Coconino, Graham, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Pima, Yavapai cos.; 800-2800 m (2500-9000 ft); Apr-Jul; NV & ID s to Baja C. The name P. diffusa subsp. subcarinata Wherry, which occurs in CA, has been misapplied to collections of P. austromontana in AZ.
REFERENCES: Dieter H. Wilken and J. Mark Porter, 2005, Vascular Plants of Arizona: Polemoniaceae. CANOTIA 1: 1-37.
Duration: Perennial
Nativity: Native
Lifeform: Subshrub
General: Compact, matted, taprooted perennial, with 8-many decumbent to ascending stems; stems 6-10 cm long, the lower internodes obscured by leaves.
Leaves: Linear, firm, thick, grayish green, mucronate, glabrous to sparsely pubescent proximally, 8-15 mm long, 1-2 mm wide.
Flowers: Flowers solitary, subsessile; calyx 6-10 mm long, membranes weakly ridged to distended; corolla white to light lavender, the tube 8-18 mm long, the lobes 5-8 mm long, obovate, obtuse, stamens inserted on upper tube, stigmas located below most of the stamens.
Fruits: Capsule with 3 valves separating from a single column.
Ecology: Found on rocky slopes and soils from 2,500-9,000 ft (762-2743 m); flowers April-July.
Notes: One of the only truly low mat forming phloxes in the region; its lower habit and compact gray-green appearance with the occasional tinge of rose or pink flowers helps to identify this species.
Ethnobotany: Used for general body aches, as a cold remedy, given to babies with stomachaches, and for toothaches.
Etymology: Phlox is from the Greek phlox, or flame, while austromontana means of the southern mountains.
Synonyms: None
Editor: SBuckley, 2010
