184 PHLOX REPTANS. CRAWLING PHLOX. 



Dr. Gray, finally, gives in a general way, " damp woods, Penn- 

 sylvania, Kentucky, and southward." The local Floras rarely 

 mention it. It is not in Willis' catalogue of New Jersey plants, 

 nor in Beardslee's list for Ohio. Coleman reports it as occur- 

 ring in Michigan, and in the " Botanical Gazette " he speaks of 

 a white variety which he found at Grand Rapids, Iowa. We 

 have seen that Prof. Wood gives Indiana as one of its locations, 

 but it does not occur in any of the counties of which the 

 Floras are given in the Geological Survey of that State. It 

 evidently prefers to keep to high elevations, chiefly in southern 

 ranges, and there it will probably be found most at home in 

 cool, moist woods. 



The time of flowering of the PJdox rcptans is given as May 

 by some authors, and as June by others ; while English writers, 

 who, of course, speak of the plant only in its cultivated state, 

 give it as from May to September. A good deal, no doubt, 

 depends on the situation. In a warm, sunny spot its flowering 

 time would perhaps be shortened. It does quite well in our 

 gardens, however, and with j^roper attention it would probably 

 become the parent of a very beautiful race. All the Phloxes are 

 changeable, and this species is not likely to be an exceiDtion to 

 the rule, as it shows some variations in color, even in its natural 

 state. Some writers describe the. flowers as rose, purple, or pale 

 red, and a pure white variety is reported by Mr. Coleman, as 

 before stated. Without a doubt, therefore, its capabilities for 

 floral improvement must be very great. 



As the plant is not frequent where the foot of man usually 

 treads, it has not yet attracted general attention, and hence is 

 still without a generally accepted common name. We must 

 therefore be satisfied with the translation of its botanical name, 

 " Crawling Phlox," as given by Dr. Darlington. 



