| Distribution | Weakley (2024) splits out this variety from the nominate one. However, the distribution of the SERNEC collections is scattered, and some seem to be in natural settings. He states "The documented distinction between var. divaricata and var. laphamii is morphologically relatively trivial, but is well-correlated with geography." However, in NC this is not the case, as his map shows it as a non-native just to the Piedmont (and not elsewhere in the state), mixed with counties where the supposed nominate taxon is present. However, very few herbaria have gone over collections and designated specimens to variety, and nearly all are simply just "Phlox divaricata". A collection from the Roanoke River floodplain near Weldon in Halifax County is listed as this taxon, which brings into question what the taxon of the clearly natural population along the Roanoke River in Halifax and Northampton counties really is (most specimens are not designated to variety).
"W. GA, c. TN, wc. KY, w. IN, WI, MN, and se. SD south to FL Panhandle, s. AL, s. MS, s. LA, and se. TX" (Weakley 2024). | |
