156 FLOWERING PLANTS OF THE RIVIERA 



LIGUSTRUM L. 



L. vulgare L. Privet. This well-known shrub with opposite, entire, 

 glabrous leaves, white sweet-scented flowers in thick clusters and blue-black 

 globular berries is occasional in shady places by streams and in hedges and 

 thickets, flowering in May and June. 



A larger species, which the French call Troene, is a small tree frequently 

 planted in avenues and gardens on the Cote d'Azur. 



OLEA L. 



O. europaea L. Olive (Plate XXI). A small tree of 8-30 ft. high, with 

 greyish-green branches, which in the wild state are spinescent, and with very 

 small berries. Leaves oblong or ovate-lanceolate entire, glabrous leathery, 

 whitish-drab coloured underneath. Flowers in axillary clusters, very small, 

 cream coloured. Fruit a fleshy drupe, ellipsoid, green at first and then black. 

 The leaves of young shoots springing up from the ground near the parent plant 

 are generally smaller and oval in shape. These shoots are very curious. 



Cultivated in many places from the coast to about 800 m. in warm situations, 

 and often seen naturalized. May-June. 



PHILLYREA L. 



P. angUStifolia L. (Plate XXI). A variable shrub, 3-6 ft. high. Leaves 

 linear-lanceolate, or lanceolate-acute, entire, with a transparent narrow border, 

 very shortly petioled. Flowers in axillary rounded clusters, small, whitish. 

 Drupe small, 3-5 mm., prune coloured, globular and apiculate. 



Very common in hedges, woods, and hill-sides throughout the littoral. March- 

 May ; and occasionally, as in 1913, in February. 



P. latifolia L. A shrub or small tree attaining 20-25 ft- m gh> w ' tn robust 

 branches. Lower leaves broad, ovate or broadly oblong, slightly cordate at 

 base and shortly petioled, toothed ; the upper ones narrower and more finely 

 toothed, with prominent dorsal nerve. Flowers as in the former species. Fruit 

 larger, obtuse and not apiculate. 



Woods and stony valleys in the littoral, much less common than the last. 

 March-May. 



P. media L. is also much less common, but equally variable. In fact it 

 seems to be an intermediate form with oblong lanceolate leaves, finely toothed 

 (var. serrata Albert) or almost entire (var. integrifolia Albert). 



Dry hill-sides, rocks and woods on the littoral. March-May. 



Syringa officinal is L. Common Lilac. This well-known tree, introduced 

 into gardens from Eastern Europe, is sometimes seen more or less naturalized 

 near houses, as in England. 



APOCYNACE^;. 



Throat of corolla naked. Flowers usually blue VINCA. 



Throat of corolla furnished with 5 multifid scales. Showy shrubs NERIUM. 



VINCA L. PERIWINKLE. 



V. minor L. Lesser Periwinkle. Leaves ovate or oblong, glabrous, 

 entire. Peduncles as long as the leaves. Calyx segments glabrous, much 

 shorter than corolla-tube. Lobes of corolla truncate. Flowers blue, or more 

 rarely white or purple. 



Banks under hedges, borders of streams, etc. February- May. 



V. media Hoffm. et Lk. = V. acutiflora Bert. (Plate XXI). Leaves 

 ovate-lanceolate, glabrous, entire. Peduncles shorter than the leaves. Calyx 

 segments glabrous, shorter than corolla-tube. Corolla lobes obliquely acuminate. 

 Flowers large, very pale blue or white. In April and May they appear in great 

 quantities. 



Borders of streams and hedges. Common on the littoral. December-May. 



