DODDER FAMILY. 441 



minute scales borne on the corolla, which can only be carefully studied 

 under a strong magnifying glass. 



C. rostrata^ beaked dodder, is peculiar in bearing flowers rather larger 

 than are usual with the genus and which grow in loose, cymose clusters. 

 The white, campanulate corolla has five rounded lobes with scales about its 

 tube which are somewhat spatulate, fringed at their summits and along the 

 sides. It chooses mostly to suck the life out of composites until they droop 

 and die. In fact, often so tightly does its yellowish stem twine about the 

 host plant as to make it almost invisible, and an effect is produced as though 

 the dodder's small clumps of flowers were protruding from the sides of the 

 one affording support. In the Alleghanies it is most abundant, often being 

 seen on the tops of the highest mountains. 



C. arvensis, field dodder, with its copper-coloured thread-like stem, gener- 

 ally twines and retwines itself about the host plant, from which its 

 flowers can be seen grow'ing in sessile clusters. These are small with a 

 broad calyx and campanulate corolla of which the scales are densely sur- 

 rounded with an irregular fringe. Sometimes the dodders form masses of 

 considerable beauty, for their determination to grow and spread themselves 

 seems indomitable. 



THE PHLOX FAMILY. 



PolevioniacecE. 

 Herbs ivith opposite or alternate leaves entire, dissected, or lohcd, and 

 which bear perfect, reguhjr /io7aers, growing in cytnes, or panicles, their 

 corollas being ganiopetalous and the lifnb Jive-parted. 



DOWNY PHLOX. 



Phlox pilbsa. 



FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



Phlox. White-pink or Purple Scentless. Florida and fcxas April-June. 



to Ontario. 



Flowers : growing in terminal cymes on short, pubescent peduncles. Cd/v.i.- 

 with five awl-shaped teeth, viscid. Corolla : salver-shaped, the tube slender and 

 the obovate lobes mostly rounded at the apices. Stamens : short, unequally in- 

 serted on the tube of the corolla. Lca7't-s : opposite ; sessile ; linear or lanceo- 

 late ; spreading; entire. Ston: erect; one to two feet high ; simple or branched, 

 pubescent. 



Until I had seen some species of phloxes spread out in dense masses and 

 showing unbroken patches of pure and brilliant colours, 1 had always 



