Tab. 5621. 



HELIANTHEMUM ocymoides. 



Basil-like Rock-rose. 



Nat. Ord. Cistink^:. — Polyandria Monogtma. 



Gen. Char. Petala, in floribus perfectis, 5. Stamina numerosa. Ovarii 

 placentae v. semisepta 3 ; ovula in quavia placenta oo ; stylus cum ovario 

 articulatus, filiformis v. subclavatus, nunc abbreviatus ; stigma capitatum 

 v. eristato-3-lobum. Embryo uncinatus, 2-plicatus v. circumflexus. — Herbrc 

 suffrutieesce, basi seepius decumbenti-ramosa. Flores scepius in racemos 

 terminates, simplices v. 2-Jldos dispositi v. inferiores axillares. Petala lata. 



Helianthemum ocymoides; caule suffruticoso erecto ramoso gracili, ramis 

 incanis hie illic pilosis, foliis oppositis lineari- v. spathulato-oblongis 

 aeutis obtusisve apice recurvis utrinque incanis, pedunculis elongatis 

 superne subcorymbosim ramosis gracilibus laxe patentim pilosis, sepalis 

 3 ovatis longe acuminatis pubescentibus v. tomentosis, petalis late 

 obcordatis basi purpureis, stylo brevi, stigmate magno capitate 



Heliaxthbmum ocymoides. Persoon, Rack. v. 11. 76. DC. Prodr. v. 1. 

 p. 267. Sweet Cistin. t. 13. 



Cistus ocymoides. Lam. Diet. v. 11. p. 18. 



Cistus sampsucifolius. Cavan. p. 65.2?. 96, non Milleri. 



A most beautiful hardy Rock- or Sun-rose, native of Spain 

 and Portugal, where, like its congeners, it inhabits dry. 

 rocky hills. It was for some years cultivated in the Royal 

 Gardens, Kew, and flowered in July in an open border, 

 though apt to be cut by the frost. The beautiful genus to 

 which this belongs was once a favourite in cultivation, but 

 has of late given way before the rage for t; bedding-out 

 plants," which now monopolize the once varied borders of 

 English gardens. No less than seventy species of Helianthe- 

 mum, besides varieties, are figured in Sweet's valuable work 

 on the cultivated plants of the Order, published in 1830. and 

 of these a great number are now no longer to be found in 

 England. It is to be hoped that the time will yet come 

 when the taste for really beautiful and interesting plants will 



JANUARY 1st, 1867. 



