2i 4 FLOWERING PLANTS OF THE RIVIERA 



N. intermedius Lois. Leaves channelled, half-cylindrical. Perianth 

 segments lemon-yellow, spreading, ovate-apiculate. Flowers 3-6 in a drooping 

 umbel. Crown with orange crenate border. 



Borders of fields, rare. Menton and Grasse. 



N. Jonquilla L. Jonquil. Plant i-i ft. high. Leaves green, channelled, 

 linear subcylindrical. Flowers entirely yellow, about 3 cms. diameter, sweet- 

 scented, 2-5 in a drooping umbel ; perianth segments spreading, ovate-apiculate, 

 much shorter than the extremely long, narrow tube. Crown flat, scarcely crenate. 



Borders of fields, etc. February-April. Naturalized near Grasse, Le Luc, 

 etc. 



AGAVE L. 



Agave americana L. (Plate XXXI). Originally from Mexico, this hand- 

 some plant has long been naturalized on the Mediterranean coast. It has been 

 known in the Islands of Hyeres for over two centuries. 



ORCHIDACE^E. 



Tribe I. ARETUSE^E. Anthers terminal, free, 2-celled ; pollen masses granular. 

 Lip entire, spur long, stem and flowers violet. No leaves LIMODORUM. 



Tribe II. NEOTTIE^E. Anther a 2-celled deciduous cap, hinged on to the 

 column ; pollen masses 2 or 4, grains free or united by an elastic web. 



* Anther hinged on the back of column ; rostellum beaked. 



A leafless, brown saprophyte. Pollen powdery NEOTTIA. 



Leaves 2, opposite. Lip free. Pollen powdery LISTERA. 



Leaves several. Lip adnate to base of column. Pollen powdery. SPIRANTHES. 



** Anther hinged on the top of the column ; rostellum very short. 



Stem leafy. Flowers racemed ; ovary straight EPIPACTIS. 



Stem leafy. Flowers spiked ; ovary twisted CEPHALANTHERA. 



Tribe III. PHRYDE^E. Anther i, confluent with the column, 2-celled, erect ; 

 pollen masses 2, granular, grains united by an elastic web. 



* Glands of stalks of pollen masses in pouches of the rostellum. 



Spur long ; both glands in one pouch ORCHIS- 



Spur o ; both glands in one pouch ACERAS- 



Spur o ; glands in separate pouches OPHRYS. 



Spur o ; lip 3-lobed, lateral lobes erect, central one tongue-shaped. SERAPIAS. 



** Glands of stalks of pollen masses naked, not in pouches of the rostellum. 



Spuro HERMINIUM. 



Spur long or short. Stigma 2-lobed or depressed HABENARIA. 



Spur long or short. Stigma lateral, large, tumid GYMNADENIA. 



The whole district, and especially the limestone area, is very rich in Orchids. 

 In the Var alone no fewer than 60 species, 9 varieties, and 14 hybrids have been 

 found, whereas there are only 45 species in the British Isles. 



LIMODORUM Rich. 



L. abortivum Swartz (Plate XXIX). Stem 1-2$ ft. high, rigid, livid violet 

 in colour ; no leaves, but stem clothed with purplish, thick scales. Bracts mem- 

 branous. Flowers large in a loose spike, violet and white, with darker markings 

 on the lip, soon fading and turning yellow. Spur pendent, as long as the ovary. 

 A parasite on various plants, especially the roots of pines. 



Hill-sides and pine-woods, especially on the littoral. April-June. 



NEOTTIA Adans. 



N. nidus-avis Rich. Bird's-nest Orchis. Root-stock a mass of thick 

 succulent fibres. Stem 8-12 in. high, pale brown like the few loose sheathing 

 scales. No leaves. Spike rather dense, 3 or 4 in. long, with 2 or 3 distant 



