9S STRADA NAZIONALE NEAR MORTOLA. 



the ravine, to the Croce della Mortola, where it begins 

 to fall gTaduall\-. Most beautlfal Is this road which follows 

 the slope of the mountain in its wide curve. In spite of 

 the approaching dusk I gathered a bunch of jMoricaudia 

 arvensis (Fig. p. 295) from the road-side. This is a noted 

 habitat for this pretty- Crucifer with its violet coloured 

 flowers. It grows abundantly between Mentone and Venti- 

 miglia. also along the Corniche, but disappears suddenly 

 and occurs again, as a rarit^■ onh', in a few other local- 

 ities of southern France. Then I also recognised h\ its 

 dark inflorescence the Red \"alerian (Cciitraiitlnis Ruber, 

 Fig. p. 71) which we like to grow in our gardens. Mv 

 attention was arrested b'\- Coriaria myrtifolia (Fig. p. 125) 

 which covers the slope near the Croce della Mortola in 

 great profusion. The plant was in full bloom. The small 

 flowers cannot be considered beautiful: the\' are borne in 

 bunches, and are all green excepting the red st\'les. Yet 

 the structure of the whole flower is so peculiar that it was 

 found necessar\- to constitute a lamilv, Coriariaceae, tor 

 this one genus. This plant contains so much tannin that 

 it is used for tanning and for making a black d\-e; it is 

 poisonous and therefore avoided by animals. It affects 

 human beings as alcohol does, so that the peasants of the 

 Riviera call it by transference, "embriaghi" — which 

 means "intoxicated". 



Below the village of Grimaldi the road passes through 

 an Olive grove, and now it is quite dark in the shadow 

 of the trees. An old tower on the hill can still be 

 distinguished, and near it a modern castle in English- 

 Gothic style. Formerly this belonged to Dr. Bennet, 



