56 FLOWERING PLANTS OF THE RIVIERA 



MCEHRINQIA L. 



M. muscosa L. Stems fragile, prostrate or ascending, in grass-like masses, 

 glabrous like the whole plant. Leaves narrowly linear or acicular, acute, i obscure 

 nerve. Flowers small, white, 1-3 in loose cymes. Petals 4. Calyx teeth 4, 

 ovate-lanceolate, acute i nerved with membranous margin. Stamens 8. Styles 

 2. Capsule 4 valved. 



Damp rocks in the mountains, ascending to the Alps. May-July. In the 

 Var it grows on the summit and north side of the Mont de la Chens. 



M. dasyphylla Bruno. Leaves rather thicker and shorter, nerveless. Sepals 

 oval-lanceolate, sub-obtuse, obscurely 3 nerved. Pedicels capillary, long. Petals 

 4, longer than the sepals. Slightly ligneous root-stock. 



Mountain rocks. Rare. Chateaudouble, Gorges du Verdon et d'Artuby, 

 Gorge de Saorgio, and near Briga. 



ARENAR1A L. SANDWORT. 



A. trinervia L. = Mcehringia trinervia Clairv. Three-nerved Sand- 

 wort. A slender downy annual, i ft. high. Leaves shortly petioled, ciliate, ovate- 

 acute, usually 3 nerved. Pedicels 3 times length of flowers, at length deflexed. 

 Flowers very small, in loose leafy dichotomous cymes. Sepals lanceolate- 

 acuminate, 3 nerved. Stamens 10. Capsule oval, with 6 recurved teeth. 



Damp woods and shady places in the hills. 



A. serpyllifolia L. Thyme-leaved Sandwort. A downy annual 3-10 in. 

 high. Leaves sessile, ovate acute, i nerved. Flowers small, petals shorter than 

 calyx. Pedicels twice length of calyx, at length spreading. Sepals lanceolate- 

 acute, 3 nerved. Capsule oval, with 6 erect teeth. Very variable. 



Sandy fields and slopes. May-July. 



The sub-species S. leptoclados Guss. grows in several places near 

 Hyeres. 



A. modesta Dufour grows near Toulon, Sollies-Toucas, etc. 



A. cinerea DC. Greyish with short down. Stems numerous, 6-10 in. high- 

 Lower leaves oblong, upper ones linear-lanceolate, ciliate at the base, i nerved. 

 Flowers white, on pedicels 4-6 times length of calyx. Sepals ovate-lanceolate, 

 with i nerve becoming prominent after flowering. 



Rocky places in the mountains, rare. June-August. Sigale, Le Mas, La 

 Bastide on east side of Mont Brouis. 



A. capitata Lam, Leaves lanceolate, acute, white-edged, stiff, imbricate. 

 Sepals membranous. Petals rather longer than calyx. Flowers white, sessile, in 

 short terminal heads. A very small tufted plant with woody root-stock. 



Dry hill-sides in the mountain region, rare. June- August. Barjols, Montrieux, 

 La Sainte-Baume, Ampus, mountains above Nice and Menton, etc. 



A. massiliensis F<?z. = Gouffeia arenarioides Rob. et Cast. Grows on 

 rocky hills in the West of the Var and also near Marseilles. It is peculiar to the 

 South of France and flowers in April or May. It is a glabrous, slender biennial. 

 Leaves linear-spathulate, obtuse, the stem leaves linear-lanceolate, ciliate at base, 

 3-nerved. Flowers white, on capillary pedicels. Capsule obovate, 2-valved, each 

 with 2 small teeth. 



ALSINE Wahl. 



* Leaves linear, petals about equalling the calyx. 



A. tenuifolia Crantz. Fine-leaved Sandwort. Annual, very polymorphic, 

 glabrous or pubescent glandular. Leaves linear, setaceous ; sepals green, 3 

 nerved. Petals much shorter than calyx. Flowers very small, in a cyme or 

 panicle. 



Sandy fields and slopes. May-July. Common in both Departments. Several 

 varieties occur in the Var. 



