CLASS XIIl. ORDER l.D HELIANTHEMUM. ^9 



axis of an ovate lanceolate bractea. Calyx of four roundish concave 

 deciduous sub-membranous pieces. Petals four, oblong, with short 

 claws, soon falling away. Stamens numerous. Filaments swollen 

 upwards. Anthers ovate, two celled. Stigma obtuse. Fruit a glo- 

 bular berry, wiih a lateral furrow, smooth, of one cell, purplish black, 

 juicy. Seeds numerous, semi-orbicular. 



Habitat. — Bushy places, especially in the limestone districts of 

 Yorkshire, near Leeds, Huddersfield, and Halifax. 



Perennial ; flowering in May and June. 



The berries of this plant are said to possess anti-spasmodic and 

 expectorant properties, and to have been found useful in some cases of 

 catarrh. They have, as well as the whole plant, a foetid nauseous 

 odour, and have the general reputation of being poisonous. 



GENUS VI. HELIANTHEMUM.— TouiiN. llock-rose. 



Nat. Ord. Cistin'e^. Juss. 



Gen, Char. Calyx of five pieces, the two outer ones unequal, or 

 wanting. Petals five. Stigma capitate. Capsule three valved. — 

 Name from rjXiog, the sun; and avGo^, ajlower ; in allusion to the 

 bright golden colour of the flowers of some of the species. 

 * Leaves without stipules. 

 1. //. ca'num, Dun. (Fig. 862) Hoary Divarf Rock-rose. Stem 

 shrubby, spreading; leaves opposite, petiolated, ovate, or oblong, green 

 above, hoary beneath ; racemes simple, few, flowered, bracteated ; 

 calyx of five hairy pieces, the inner four ribbed; style bent in the 

 middle. 



Hooker, British Flora, ed. 4. vol. i. p. 213. — Lindley, Synopsis, p 

 36. — Cistus marifolius. — English Botany, t. 396. — English Flora, vol. 

 iv. p. 23. — C. hirsutus, Hudson. — C. anglicus, Linn. — C. canus^ 

 Jacq. — Helianthetnum oclandicum, Wah. — y, tomentosa, Koch. 



Root with several wiry fibres. Stem woody, much branched, 

 spreading at the base, smooth and brown below, slender and hoary 

 above, terminating in a few flowered raceme. Leaves numerous, 

 opposite, ovate, or oblong, acute, entire, on short broadish footstalks, 

 green above, or slightly hairy, pale beneath, with soft close pressed 

 pubescence. Flotvers two or three, in a terminal raceme. Bracteas 

 small, lanceolate. Calyx in five hoary pieces, the inner with four 

 ribs. Petals small, obovate, entire, or waved on the margin, of a 

 bright yellow colour. Stamens numerous, with emarginate anthers. 

 Style bent about the middle. 



Habitat. — Rare. On alpine rocks in the North of England, Lan- 

 cashire, Westmoreland, Cronkey Fell, Yorkshire, and various parts of 

 Wales. 



