1919^ The Disteibution of Rhododendeon Catawbiense 79 



Leaving Table Rock we went south to Lincolnton where we were 

 told that Rhododendron grew On the Little Catawba. It proved, as is 

 so often the case, to be only Kalmia. Continuing south to near the 

 South Carolina line we ascended Kings Mountain (950 feet) and 

 Crowders Mountain (1,600 feet). On the first was a fine display of 

 R. catawbiense in full bloom in crevices, ledges and gorges along the 

 precipitous faces. It was interesting to find that there was associated 

 with Rhododendron here Forthergilla Tnajor, as is also the case in 

 Chapel Hill. The conditions on Crowders Mountain were about the 

 same. There was only a very little R. cataivhiense on the northern 

 peak, but more on the higher central peak. 'No other species of 

 Rhododendron was seen on either mountain. 



From reliable observers (Mrs. Harper and Miss Goforth) we find 

 that R. cataivhiense grows about three to four miles west of Lenoir 

 on a small elevation called Peaky Top and on hills around Harper 

 Town, about two miles west of Lenoir. There are also said to be 

 scattered patches in the valley between Black Mountain and Montreat 

 (elevation of about 2,100 feet), and Mr. F. M. Crayton, formerly 

 of the Biltmore Nursery, has told me that it occurs at the foot of 

 Craggy Mountain on the east side and down the east side of a num- 

 ber of other mountains to an altitude less than two thousand feet. It 

 would seem that this species descends to about 2,000 feet down the 

 eastward slopes of the Blue Ridge and Alleghenies, but that it does 

 not descend down the western slopes. 



Notwithstanding the extension of the range of this species in the 

 mJountain region down to Table Rock and Kings and Crowders 

 Mountains we still have remaining the very remarkable fact that in 

 the center of the State is a group of stations separated from the near- 

 est ones to the westward by al)Out 140 to 210 miles. The question 

 naturally arises: Is the plant of the central region the same as the 

 mountain one or is it a variety of it, or a different species ? For several 

 years I have been trying to get the mountain form to bloom in Chapel 

 Hill to compare side by side with the Chapel Hill form, and this 

 spring was successful. Flowers of the mountain form (obtained from 

 Highlands Nursery) were like ours exce])t that thoy were broader in 

 proportion to widtli than most of ours. The llowors of the Chapel Hill 



