Inchtube phlox, Phlox stansburyi subsp. superba (32269587038)

Description:

Description: inchtube phlox, Phlox stansburyi subsp. superba, California, White Mountains, Deep Springs Valley drainage, elevation 1737 m (5700 ft). This species is widespread and common across the desert southwest of the United States, extending northward into the southern Great Basin desert, and upward to middle elevations in the mountains. The subspecies superba shown here is characterized by having the longest flowers of the species, and is more narrowly restricted to the southern Great Basin and northern Mojave deserts of Nevada, Arizona, and eastern California. It tends to develop more woody stems with age, and when growing under shrubs these will elongate up through the shrub canopy to keep their flowers visible to potential pollinators. The floral display of this plant invites speculation about its pollination strategy. The long narrow flower tube limits any potential nectar reward to sphinx moths at night and/or hummingbirds during the day. The color spectrum here would tend to attract both -- or it's possible that the change to darker shades of pink with age is just a post-pollination change to deter further sphinx moth visits. Or could all of the above be true?. Date: 2 May 2017, 08:27. Source: inchtube phlox, Phlox stansburyi subsp. superba. Author: Jim Morefield from Nevada, USA. Camera location37° 19′ 51.96″ N, 118° 05′ 39.55″ W View all coordinates using: OpenStreetMap 37.331100; -118.094320.