Wild Flowers East of the Rockies 283 



POLEMONIUM FAMILY (Polemoniaceae). 



A small family of herbs having either opposite or 

 alternate leaves and regular, perfect flowers, the 

 lobes of the corolla being convolute in the bud. 



DOWNY PHLOX (Phlox pilosa). Both the leaves 

 and stem of this species are covered with fine, downy 

 hairs; the sharply pointed calyx is also hairy and 

 sticky. The plant stands from one to two feet in 

 height. The narrow, lance-shaped leaves are rather 

 closely alternated along the stem. The flowers are 

 in a flat-topped clusters at the summit. The five 

 lobes of the corolla are wide spread and bluntly point- 

 ed. The flowers vary in color from a magenta-pink to 

 white. 



All varieties of phlox are hardy and make excellent 

 garden plants, a purpose for which they are exten- 

 sively used. The present species ranges from Conn, 

 to Manitoba and southwards, flowering during May 

 and June in dry woods or on prairies. 



BLUE PHLOX (Phlox divaricata) also has a slight- 

 ly downy, hairy stem, with broader leaves and leafy, 

 decumbent shoots from the base. The flowers are 

 in loose flat-topped clusters. The five lobes of the cor- 

 olla are pale lilac and usually notched at the ends. 

 It is found in damp, rocky woods from N. Y. to Minn, 

 and southwards. 



MOSS PINK; GROUND PINK (Phlox subulata) is 

 a low, creeping species that spreads over sandy or 

 rocky ground, forming compact masses resembling 

 moss. The stem is very branchy but grows only a 

 few inches high; the ends of the branches turn up- 

 wards and terminate in clusters of flowers varying 

 from crimson pink to white. The five, spreading 

 lobes of the tubular corolla are wedge-shaped and 

 notched at the tips. The stiff, pointed, evergreen 

 leaves are closely crowded along the stem. Ground 

 Pink is found from western N. E. to Mich, and south- 

 wards. 



