NAT. ORDER. 



Rotacece, 



CISTUS LADANIFERUS. GUM CISTUS. 



Class XIII. PoLYANDRiA. Order I. Moxogynia. 



Gen. Char. Corolla, five-petaled. Calyx, five-leaved, with two, and 



sometimes three of the leaflets smaller. 

 Spe. Char. Leaves, ovate, nerveless, rugged. Calyx, lanceolate. 



Tins rare and beautiful plant, has seldom been known to exceed 

 five feet in height ; its trunk and branches are covered with a dark, 

 or brownish-colored bark ; the branches are simple ; the leaves are 

 oblong, somewhat pointed, veined, viscous, valved, somewhat twisted, 

 and stand in pairs upon short foot stalks, which embrace the stem ; 

 the Jloivcrs are produced in succession at the extremities of the 

 branches ; they are large, of a purple red color, and marked with 

 dark spots near the base of the petals ; the calyx is divided into five 

 large, crab-pointed, persistent segments ; the corolla is composed of 

 five petals, which are large, roundish, spreading, and readily fall off 

 on being touched ; the filaments are very nmiicrous, short, slender, 

 and supplied with simple anthers of an orange color ; the germcn 

 is oval, and supports a short style, which is furnished with a flat, 

 circular stigma; the capsule is round, and contains a numerous 

 quantity of small round seeds. 



Prof Miller, who was much admired as a distinguished bota- 

 nist, speaking of this plant, says, " It is one of the most ornamental 

 and hardy shrubs that we possess ; at once pleasing to the eye, and 

 grateful to the smell. The whole plant in warm weather exudes a 

 sweet glutinous substance, which has a very strong balsamic scent, 

 so as to perfume the air to a great distance from the plant." Its 

 blossoms, which appear in June and July in great profusion, exhibit 



