# slender phlox

*Microsteris gracilis*

The tiny flowers of the slender phlox are capable of self-pollinating, ensuring the species can reproduce even if no insect pollinators are nearby.

- **Taxonomy:** Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Ericales › Polemoniaceae › Microsteris
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** grassland
- **Habitat:** Open grassy slopes, meadows, sagebrush scrub, and disturbed areas.
- **Diet:** Autotrophic (photosynthesis)
- **Range:** Western North America, Pacific Northwest, California, Rocky Mountains, South America
- **Size:** 5 to 25 cm tall, flowers 2 to 5 mm wide
- **Lifespan:** 1 year (annual)
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Invasive plant species competition, habitat destruction, and intensive livestock grazing.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless. You can safely observe this tiny wildflower up close. Avoid stepping on these delicate plants. They are non-toxic, but should be left undisturbed in their natural habitat.

## About

Microsteris is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the phlox family containing the single species Microsteris gracilis , known by the common name slender phlox .

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/66672fae-2c68-4939-b616-2ee0c61d7a70
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/61210
- Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsteris
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/259690865/medium.jpg (Mike Ostrowski, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.