LA MORTOLA. 19 



tance off. It would be interesting to know the exact chemical 

 nature of the volatile oil of this Crucifera. The pretty mauve 

 blossoming Moricandia arvensis, D. C., also one of the many 

 Cruciferse of the Riviera di Ponente, appears in Sicily and Calabria, 

 but on no other part of the Italian coast. Poly gala Nicceensis, 

 Risso, differs only in unessential particulars from the P. vulgaris 

 of Central Europe, but the brilliant blue of its great blossoms makes 

 it a conspicuous figure among the Ligurian flora. Cistus and 

 Helianthemum of many kinds adorn the light undergrowth of the 

 coast and the near mountains sometimes, in conjunction with 

 Silene Italica, Persoon. The delicately-formed and coloured blos- 

 soms of the Lavatera maritima, Gouan, form a pretty contrast 

 to the stiff gray leaves of this Mallow, a plant eminently at 

 home on the Riviera di Ponente. Whoever objects to the strong 

 smell of the Ruta angustifolia, Pers., and of R. bracteosa, D. C., 

 cannot, however, deny the elegance of their blossoms. Nearly 

 related to the Rutaceae is Cneorum tricoccum, L., not as regards 

 the smell, but it partakes of the bitterness which occurs in probably 

 all the Simarubaceae ; botanists have placed the Cneorum in 

 this tribe. Lotus ornithopodioides y L. ; Scorpiurus subvillosa, L. ; 

 Dorycnium herbaceum, Villars, and D. suffruticosum, Vill., are 

 very common Papilionaceae here. A rarer plant is the silvery shin- 

 ing bushy Anthyllis Barbajovis, L. Rubia peregrina, L., is nearly 

 as troublesome with its thorns as the far more threatening Smilax 

 aspera. In some damp places Centranthus ruber, D. C., displays 

 its pink corymbs. To the common Composite belong Urospermum 

 Dalechampii, Desfont. (Tragopogon, L.) ; Inula viscosa, Aiton, 

 not in blossom even in April ; Helichrysum Stoechas, Gartner ; 

 Senecio Cineraria, D. C. (Cineraria maritima, L.). Convolvulus 

 althczoides, L., may be described as a most graceful little bindweed. 

 Solanum miniatum, a variety of S. nigrum, differs in its red berries 

 and its faint musk smell from the latter, species. Verbascum sin- 

 uatum, L., with violet stamens, has small blossoms, without scent. 

 Scrophularia canina, L. ; Orobanche cruenta Bertoloni (a parasite 

 of the Thymus) ; Antirrhinum Zatifolium, D. C. ; and A. Orontium, 

 L., are frequent dwellers among the rocks and walls of this coast. 

 Among the Primulaceae there is the bluish red blossom of the 

 Coris monspeliensis, L., among the Thymeleacese Daphne Gnidium, 

 L., which, however, only blooms in the autumn. Besides the 

 already (page 10) mentioned Euphorbias, there are some remark- 



