276 CISTINE^. [part n. 



have showy flowers, each having five petals, 

 which are crumpled in the bud like those of the 

 Poppy ; they also resemble the petals of the 

 Poppy tribe in falling almost as soon as they 

 have expanded, as every one must have observed 

 who has noticed the flowers of a Gum-Cistus. 

 The calyx in both Cistus and Helianthemum 

 generally consists of five sepals, two of which 

 are larger and of a paler green than the others, 

 and grow a little below them ; and this calyx 

 remains on after the petals have fallen, and, 

 indeed, till the seed is ripe. In the Gum-Cistus, 

 however, and some other species, the two outer 

 sepals are wanting. There are a great many 

 stamens, which are rather short, and form a 

 tuft in the centre of the flower, surrounding the 

 pistil, which has a round flat-headed stigma, a 

 rather long style, and an ovary divided into 

 five cells. The seeds are numerous, and each 

 has a separate foot-stalk, by which it is attached 

 to the placentas, which, in the Cistus tribe, are 

 in the centre of the ovary, and not proceeding 

 from its sides, as in the Mignonette. The 

 capsule, which remains covered with the calyx 

 till it is quite ripe, divides into five or ten con- 

 cave valves, each having a placenta, to which 

 the seeds w^ere attached, in its centre. The 

 seed of any plant belonging to the order Cista- 

 cese, is remarkable when cut open for the great 



