Polemoniaceae

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Polemoniaceae
Phlox diffusa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Ericales Family: Polemoniaceae
Genera
Acanthogilia Aliciella * Allophyllum Bonplandia Cantua Cobaea * Collomia Dayia * Eriastrum Gilia Gymnosteris Huthia Ipomopsis Langloisia Lathrocasis * Leptodactylon Leptosiphon * Linanthus Loeselia Loeseliastrum Microsteris * Navarretia Phlox Polemonium Saltugilia * * not treated as distinct by all botanists

The Polemoniaceae (jacob's ladder family or phlox family) comprises 18-25 genera with between 270-400 species of mostly annual plants, native to the Northern Hemisphere and also South America, with the center of diversity in western North America, especially in California. Only one genus (Polemonium) is found in Europe, and two (Phlox and Polemonium) in Asia, where they are confined to cool temperate to arctic regions; both genera also occur more widely in North America, suggesting relatively recent colonization of the Old World from North America.

Members of the family are not distinguished by any particular morphological feature. Their flowers have five sepals, five petals fused, five stamens that alternate with the lobes of the corolla, and an ovary made up of three fused carpels.

[edit] Cultivation and uses

Although few are of economic importance, a number are widely grown as ornamental plants, such as Ipomopsis aggregata (Scarlet Gilia), and many species of Phlox and Polemonium. The Kantuta (Cantua buxifolia) is the national flower of Bolivia and Peru.

[edit] References

• Tree of Life Polemoniaceae
• Polemoniaceae in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants.