34 THE FLORA OF THE ALPS 



2. ASTROCARPUS, Neck. 



Carpels 4-6, distinct, i -seeded, each opening by the 

 ventral suture. 



A. sesamoideSy Gay ; flowers white, stamens 7-9, 

 carpels 5, leaves linear-lanceolate, the radical ones form- 

 ing a rosette; alpine and sub-alpine localities in the 

 Pyrenees. 



Order VIII.— CISTACE.E. 



Flowers conspicuous, fugacious ; sepals usually 3 ; 

 petals usually 5 ; stamens numerous ; ovary usually 

 I -celled with three parietal placentae ; style i ; stigmas 

 3. A small order, chiefly Mediterranean. 



I. CiSTUS, Tourn. 



Sepals 3-5 ; petals large, brightly coloured. Balsamic 

 shrubs, with large handsome very fugacious flowers. 



C. salvifoliuSy L. ; flowers solitary, axillary, \\-2 in., 

 white with yellow base ; Southern Switzerland, Locarno, 

 Ascona, Pyrenees. Several other species are natives of 

 the departments of the Pyrenees, but belong to the 

 Mediterranean flora. 



2. Helianthemum, Tourn. 



Sepals 5, 2 of them usually smaller; leaves opposite. 



A . Leaves stipulate : — H. salicifoliuniy Pers. ; flowers 

 opposite to the leaves, sepals ovate-lanceolate, not acumi- 

 nate ; Southern Switzerland (rare), Pyrenees. H. vulgare^ 

 Gaertn., our English Rock Rose; very abundant on dry 



