[The Phlox Family in the Cascade Mts. of Oregon and Washington]

Granite Gilia, Granite Prickly-phlox, Prickly Phlox, Sharp Linanthus

Linanthus pungens

Synonyms: Gilia hallii, Gilia pungens, Gilia pungens var. hookeri, Leptodactylon hazeliae, Leptodactylon lilacinum, Leptodactylon pungens, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. brevifolium, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. eupungens, Leptocactylon pungens ssp. hallii, Leptodactylon pungens var. hallii, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. hazeliae, Leptodcactylon pungens ssp. hookeri, Leptodactylon pungens var. hookeri, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. pulchriflora, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. pulchriflorum, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. pungens, Leptodactylon pungens var. pungens, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. squarrosum

Close-up of the corolla and calyx of Granite Gilia, Granite Prickly-phlox, Prickly Phlox, Sharp Linanthus: Linanthus punens (Synonyms: Gilia hallii, Gilia pungens, Gilia pungens var. hookeri, Leptodactylon hazeliae, Leptodactylon lilacinum, Leptodactylon pungens, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. brevifolium, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. eupungens, Leptocactylon pungens ssp. hallii, Leptodactylon pungens var. hallii, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. hazeliae, Leptodcactylon pungens ssp. hookeri, Leptodactylon pungens var. hookeri, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. pulchriflora, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. pulchriflorum, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. pungens, Leptodactylon pungens var. pungens, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. squarrosum)

Close-up of the calyx and corolla of granite gilia as seen at Antelope Mt. Lookout, Malheur National Forest........July 18, 2010.

Needle-like leaves of Granite Gilia, Granite Prickly-phlox, Prickly Phlox, Sharp Linanthus: Linanthus pungens (Synonyms: Gilia hallii, Gilia pungens, Gilia pungens var. hookeri, Leptodactylon hazeliae, Leptodactylon lilacinum, Leptodactylon pungens, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. brevifolium, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. eupungens, Leptocactylon pungens ssp. hallii, Leptodactylon pungens var. hallii, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. hazeliae, Leptodcactylon pungens ssp. hookeri, Leptodactylon pungens var. hookeri, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. pulchriflora, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. pulchriflorum, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. pungens, Leptodactylon pungens var. pungens, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. squarrosum)The photo at right shows the upper stem and leaves of prickly phlox from near Borax Lake, southeastern Oregon.............May 28, 2000.
Characteristics:

Granite gilia is an erect wildflower, shrub-like with several to many branches either in an open pattern or perhaps even densely packed. The plant is sweetly aromatic. The flowers seem to close or wrinkle up during daylight hours, and it is rare to see the whole plant in bloom, but such a find is a marvelous sight! (and a treat to the nose too!)

The plant may attain a height of 60 cm. Leaves are numerous and crowded on the stems. The lower leaves may be opposite, while those higher up may be alternate. The leaves are palmatified into 3 to 7 sharp, rigid, linear segments. The leaves are a dark green, and dead leaves may persist on the plant through several growing seasons.

The flowers are solitary in the leaf axils. The corolla is 15 to 25 mm long. Petal color ranges from creamy white to lavender, yellowish, or salmon. Granite Gilia is a nocturnal bloomer, so as mentioned above, it is rare to see it in full bloom during daylight hours.


Habitat:

Granite gilia is a plant of dry, open sandy, dusty, or rocky places. It is a plant of deserts, plains, and open forests to moderate elevations in the dry mountains of the west.


Range:

Granite gilia is found from southern British Columbia south along the eastern base of the Cascades to Baja California. It is found eastward to Montana, western Nebraska and Colorado, and New Mexico.


Granite Gilia, Granite Prickly-phlox, Prickly Phlox, Sharp Linanthus: Linanthus pungens (Synonyms: Gilia hallii, Gilia pungens, Gilia pungens var. hookeri, Leptodactylon hazeliae, Leptodactylon lilacinum, Leptodactylon pungens, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. brevifolium, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. eupungens, Leptocactylon pungens ssp. hallii, Leptodactylon pungens var. hallii, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. hazeliae, Leptodcactylon pungens ssp. hookeri, Leptodactylon pungens var. hookeri, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. pulchriflora, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. pulchriflorum, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. pungens, Leptodactylon pungens var. pungens, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. squarrosum)

Granite gilia as seen at a bald about one-quarter mile west of the Ironstone Trail #1411 trailhead near Cash Prairie, William O. Douglas Wilderness.........July 25, 2015.

Granite Gilia, Granite Prickly-phlox, Prickly Phlox, Sharp Linanthus: Linanthus pungens (Synonyms: Gilia hallii, Gilia pungens, Gilia pungens var. hookeri, Leptodactylon hazeliae, Leptodactylon lilacinum, Leptodactylon pungens, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. brevifolium, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. eupungens, Leptocactylon pungens ssp. hallii, Leptodactylon pungens var. hallii, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. hazeliae, Leptodcactylon pungens ssp. hookeri, Leptodactylon pungens var. hookeri, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. pulchriflora, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. pulchriflorum, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. pungens, Leptodactylon pungens var. pungens, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. squarrosum)

A close-up of the prickly, upper stem leaves and corolla of granite gilia as seen at Antelope Mt. Lookout, Malheur National Forest..............July 18, 2010.

Granite Gilia, Granite Prickly-phlox, Prickly Phlox, Sharp Linanthus: Linanthus pungens (Synonyms: Gilia hallii, Gilia pungens, Gilia pungens var. hookeri, Leptodactylon hazeliae, Leptodactylon lilacinum, Leptodactylon pungens, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. brevifolium, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. eupungens, Leptocactylon pungens ssp. hallii, Leptodactylon pungens var. hallii, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. hazeliae, Leptodcactylon pungens ssp. hookeri, Leptodactylon pungens var. hookeri, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. pulchriflora, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. pulchriflorum, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. pungens, Leptodactylon pungens var. pungens, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. squarrosum)

Prickly phlox as seen along Forest Service Road #1647 in southeastern Logan Valley, Malheur National Forest........July 3, 2010.

Granite Gilia, Granite Prickly-phlox, Prickly Phlox, Sharp Linanthus: Linanthus pungens (Synonyms: Gilia hallii, Gilia pungens, Gilia pungens var. hookeri, Leptodactylon hazeliae, Leptodactylon lilacinum, Leptodactylon pungens, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. brevifolium, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. eupungens, Leptocactylon pungens ssp. hallii, Leptodactylon pungens var. hallii, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. hazeliae, Leptodcactylon pungens ssp. hookeri, Leptodactylon pungens var. hookeri, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. pulchriflora, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. pulchriflorum, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. pungens, Leptodactylon pungens var. pungens, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. squarrosum) - Granite Gilia, Granite Prickly-phlox, Prickly Phlox, Sharp Linanthus: Linanthus pungens (Synonyms: Gilia hallii, Gilia pungens, Gilia pungens var. hookeri, Leptodactylon hazeliae, Leptodactylon lilacinum, Leptodactylon pungens, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. brevifolium, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. eupungens, Leptocactylon pungens ssp. hallii, Leptodactylon pungens var. hallii, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. hazeliae, Leptodcactylon pungens ssp. hookeri, Leptodactylon pungens var. hookeri, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. pulchriflora, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. pulchriflorum, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. pungens, Leptodactylon pungens var. pungens, Leptodactylon pungens ssp. squarrosum)

Prickly phlox as seen on rock outcrops along the South Loop Road about one and one-quarter miles downhill to the west of the East Rim Viewpoint..........July 9, 2014.

Paul Slichter