About Phlox gracilis (Douglas ex Hook.) Greene
This species, also known as Microsteris gracilis, is an annual herb with variable growth forms. It can grow decumbent and branching, sometimes forming an almost tuftlike shape, or grow erect with a very slender stem. Its maximum height is close to 20 centimeters, though individuals may be much smaller. Its lance-shaped leaves are 1 to 3 centimeters long. Leaves are oppositely arranged along most of the stem, while the upper leaves are alternate. The above-ground plant tissue has a glandular, hairy texture. One or more small flowers grow in an inflorescence at the tip of the stem. Each flower has a tubular throat roughly one centimeter long, enclosed within a tubular calyx of sepals. The flat open corolla has five lobes with flat tips or notches, each lobe measuring just 1 to 2 millimeters long. Flower color ranges from white to bright pink, with a yellowish throat. Microsteris gracilis is native to western North America, ranging from northwestern Canada through the American Midwest and West Coast down into Mexico, and it is also native to parts of South America. It is native to all diverse plant communities found in California.
