| Phlox hoodii | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Polemoniaceae |
| Genus: | Phlox |
| Species: | P. hoodii |
| Binomial name | |
| Phlox hoodii Richardson | |
Phlox hoodii, the spiny phlox or carpet phlox, is a species of phlox. It is a plant of western North America, where it is a common flower in sagebrush country, mostly growing in dry lithosol habitats. [1] It is among the first plants to bloom in spring, after the snow has melted. Its distribution extends from Alaska to Arizona. [2] There are many subspecies.
This perennial herb is variable in morphology, but usually forms a tight mat or loose clump on the ground. [2] The short stems emerge from a woody taproot and caudex unit and the plant form is no more than 13 centimetres (5 in) tall. [2] The abundant tiny, sharp-pointed leaves are oppositely arranged and barely exceed one centimetre (1⁄3 in) long. The herbage is hairy in texture, the hairs short to long, woolly to cobwebby. [2] The appearance of the plant is almost mosslike until blooming. [3] The inflorescence is a solitary flower in shades of white, pink, or blue. [2] It has a tubular throat about one centimetre (1⁄3 in) long spreading into a flat five-lobed corolla.
