84 FLOWERING PLANTS OF THE RIVIERA 



Moist meadows and grassy places on the littoral, even at sea-level. April- 

 July. In Switzerland this plant is chiefly sub-Alpine. 



T. purpureus Miench. = Lotus Tetragonolobus L. Annual, softly 

 hairy. Leaflets obovate, rhomboidal. Stipules ovate or lanceolate, acuminate. 

 Flowers 1-2 on a peduncle as long as the leaves. Standard and wings a rich 

 crimson, the latter with a yellow eye in centre of a darker spot. Pod with broad 

 crinkled wings. 



Road-sides and fields, very rare. March-May. Formerly recorded from a few 

 places in both Departments and from near San Remo, and recently Mr. Raine of 

 Hyeres has found it in several places in his district and on the Isle of Por- 

 querolles. 



LOTUS L. 



* Annual plants, with slender root, usually with small tubercles. 



L. parviflorus Desf. Very hairy, slender. Leaflets oblong-lanceolate, 

 acute. Stipules ovate, often longer than the petiole. Flowers yellow, turning 

 green when dried, small, 4-6 in umbels on filiform peduncles, finally arched. 

 Calyx-teeth almost as long as corolla, setaceous. Pod enclosed in the calyx, ob- 

 long, with valves not spirally twisting when ripe. 



Dry, sandy places. April-June. 



L. hispidus Desf. A rather taller hairy plant. Leaflets oblong, acute ; 

 stipules oval-lanceolate, longer than the petiole. Flowers yellow, turning green 

 on drying, small (7-8 mm. long), 2-4 on stiff peduncles. Standard distinctly 

 longer than keel. Pod short (8-15 mm.) rather thick, sometimes twice length of 

 calyx. 



Sandy fields and slopes and pine-woods. May-June. 



L. angustissimus L. Plant hairy or rarely glabrous, often erect. Leaflets 

 oblong-lanceolate. Stipules ovate-lanceolate, longer than the petiole. Flowers 

 yellow, not turning green (6-7 mm. long), 1-2 on slender peduncles as long as 

 the leaves. Standard not longer than the keel. Pod long, very slender, com- 

 pressed, straight, many seeded. 



Fields and sandy hill slopes. April-June. 



L- coirnbrensis Willd. = L. coimbr icensis Brot. A slender glabrescent 

 species. Leaflets rhomboidal. Stipules ovate, acuminate, longer than the petiole. 

 Flowers whitish, with pink or mauve keel, small, solitary, on peduncles shorter 

 than the leaves. Pod curved or sickle-shaped, very slender, narrow, linear, 30-40 

 mm. long. 



Sandy or grassy places on the littoral, local. April-June. 



L. ornithopodioides L. A stouter plant. Leaflets large, rhomboidal- 

 cuneate. Stipules broadly ovate-rhomboidal, as long as the petiole or longer. 

 Yellow flowers small, 2-5 on peduncles longer than the leaves. Calyx of 2 lips 

 with unequal teeth. Pods in clusters, like a bird's foot, 30-50 mm. long, broadly 

 linear, compressed, curved and bossed. 



Sandy fields and grassy places, common. April-June. 



L. edulis L. (Plate XII). A stout species. Leaflets obovate or oblong- 

 cuneate, glaucous. Stipules broadly ovate, longer than the petiole. Flowers 

 yellow, large, 1-2 on peduncles, 2-3 times length of leaves. Calyx-teeth equal, 

 linear-lanceolate, twice length of tube, hairy. Pod very thick, fleshy, at length 

 leathery, cylindric, curved, deeply channelled on upper surface, 2 celled. 



Sandy places on the littoral. April-May. 



** Perennial plants with thick root-stock and no tubercles. 



L. cytisoides L. = L. Allioni Desv. Plant prostrate, slightly pubescent, 

 greyish-green, fleshy. 'Leaflets oblong, cuneate. Stipules as long as the petioles. 

 Flowers bright yellow, rather large. Calyx 2 lipped, teeth unequal, the 2 lateral 

 of the lower lip shortest. Keel often mauve. Pod long, narrow, linear, com- 

 pressed, straight or curved. A variable species. 



Maritime rocks and banks near the sea. March-June. 



