174 FLOWERING PLANTS OF THE RIVIERA 



MENTHA L. 



The following Mints occur in the district, viz. M. rotundifolia L., very 

 common and polymorphic ; M. silvestris L., rare on the littoral ; M. aquatica 

 L. and M. Pulegium L., fairly common in damp places. M. candicans 

 Crantz and M. arvensis L. occur in the montane region about St. Martin 

 Ve"subie, etc. 



LYCOPUS L. 



L. europceus L. Gipsy-wort. Leaves oval-oblong, serrate, often pin- 

 natifid at base. Flowers white spotted with red, in axillary clusters. 

 Damp places. June-August. 



Origanum vulgare L. (Marjoram) is not uncommon in woods, hedges, and 

 road-sides, especially in hilly districts. Its leaves are ovate or ovate-oblong, 

 an inch long, and slightly toothed. Flowers purple, in globular, compact heads 

 forming a trichotomous terminal panicle. June-August. 



THYMUS L. THYME. 



T. vulgaris L. Small under-shrub about a foot high. Leaves small, linear 

 or lanceolate, grey with down, rolled in at the margins. Stems woody, erect 

 and stiff. Flowers pink or white, fragrant. 



Common on most of the dry hills from the littoral to the montane region. 

 March-June. In 1913 it was in blossom in several places near Carqueiranne as 

 early as 20 February. 



T. Serpyllum L. in many forms and T. Chamaedrys Fr. are found in 

 the hilly and mountainous regions. Useful notes on these and other Labiates 

 are to be found in Bicknell's " Flora of Bordighera and San Remo " and in 

 Briquet's " Labiees des Alpes-Maritimes ". 



HYSSOPUS L. 



H. officinalis L. Hyssop. Leaves linear-lanceolate, obtuse, perforated 

 with glandular dots. Flowers an intense blue. Stem woody at the base. 



This beautiful plant is very rare in both Departments. It is found near 

 Draguignan, Sollies-Toucas, Grasse, etc. July-August. 



SATUREIA L. 



S. hortensis L. (a greyish-red annual with leaves linear, in pairs ; flowers 

 small) is common in fields in the Var after the crops (June to September) ; and 

 S. montana L. is very common throughout the hilly and mountainous districts. 

 It has narrow lanceolate-acute leaves, shining and glabrous but ciliate at borders 

 Flowers pink in dense long terminal heads. June-October. 



MICROMERIA Benth. 



M. Piperella Benth. Stems wiry, 4-6 in. high. Leaves small, ovate, 

 sessile, glabrous. Flowers reddish-purple. Corolla-tube long and slender, lower 

 lip of 3 nearly equal lobes. Cymes 1-3 flowered. Stamens 4. Calyx reddish, 5- 

 toothed, not 2-lipped. 



Rocky places in the French and Italian Maritime Alps where it is endemic. 

 June-September. It can be seen at San Dalmazzo di Tenda, and at 1'Agel above 

 Menton. Also near Pigna in Liguria. 



CALAMI NTH A Mcench. 



(These plants are now sometimes placed in Satureia and sometimes in 

 Clinopodium L.) 



C. Nepeta Savi. Plant about 2 ft. high, greyish-green, with strong pleasant 

 scent. Stem much branched. Leaves small, oval obtuse, on short petioles, 

 crenate. Flowers lilac or pale purple, in numerous axillary clusters on branched 

 peduncles. Calyx glabrescent with equal teeth. 



Common in dry stony places and hill-sides. July-October. In 1912 this 

 rather elegant plant was in flower near Hyeres until mid-November. 



