Gilia, Globe;  Gilia capitata

Mid Bloomer.  Round balls of many tiny white to violet flowers on tall stems.  Likes dry, sandy slopes. Notes: Phlox family.  Typical of the Phlox family, the flowers consist of 5 petals that flare out of the tube to form a shallow bowl.  The reproductive parts stick well out of the flowers, and it has narrow, needle-like leaves adapted to dry climates.  However, its spherical  shape distinguishes it from other phlox.  Capitata means ‘head’ in reference to its terminal flower cluster. Click on species name below to go to USDA for this species. Kingdom Plantae -- Plants      Subkingdom Tracheobionta -- Vascular plants          Superdivision Spermatophyta -- Seed plants              Division Magnoliophyta -- Flowering plants                  Class Magnoliopsida -- Dicotyledons                      Subclass Asteridae                          Order Solanales                              Family Polemoniaceae -- Phlox family                                  Genus Gilia Ruiz & Pavón -- gilia                                      Species Gilia capitata Sims -- bluehead gilia Contains 8 Subspecies and 8 accepted taxa overall

Gilia, Globe  (Gilia capitata)

Another example

Narrow leaves along the lower portion of a stem