130 EUPl TOR BIAS. 



their side to rid the leaf of fungoid spores and microbes, 

 and are tlius of service to tlie plant, liliamiitis Alalcriuis 

 was known to Tlieophrastns and Pliny. Its leaves and 

 llowers \\-ere used as remedies in ancient times. I>uck- 

 tliorn is f'-ro^Aai as an ornamental plant in our gardens. 

 The northerner who visits the Mediterranean is sur- 

 prised at the Bush vSpurge (Euphorbia drndroides) because 

 his own Spurges are onh' lowl\- weeds. At Mentone 

 i>ush Spurges reach two ^■ards in height, and their trunks 

 can hardh' be encircled ,with both hands. The plant 

 forks repeatedh' in the course of its 'growth and forms 

 a dome-like shrub, which is easih- recognised at a distance 

 b\' its ^'ellow colour. It is one of the most curious plant- 

 forms on the Riviera and is found not onh' in the Macjuis 

 but distributed n\ex the whole roast. Dioscorides and 

 I'lin^ both mention it. During the summer drought this 

 Spurge sheds its leaves, remaining bare as do our indi- 

 genous northern trees in winter. The natives of the 

 Riviera throw t\\'igs of this Sjiurgc into water to stupif\' 

 the llsh, and we are told of a similar jiractice in (rreece. 

 Juiplmrhia fpiitosa (Fig, p. 1X1), another much smaller. 

 busliA' Spurge. gro^\'S close to the ground in the Mai.|uis. 

 It is \X'llow , like the larger sj-iecies, and derives its name 

 from the tough spines formed b\' the dead twigs. Passrr- 

 iiia Jiirsida (Fig. p. .">25), one of" the Thymelaceae which 

 IS niicoiumon elsewhere, ma^' be known b^' its small, 

 l]esh^•, crowded lea\'es, its hair^- white drooping twigs, 

 and small. yelUnv, inconspicuous (lowers. It is common 

 here and will at once be noticed because of its charac- 

 teristic habit. Only solitar\' specimens of the vStrawberrv 



