56 CISTACE/E. 



plants and the more bulky of alpine plants and dwarf shrubs, 

 and about the margins of masses of shrubs as well as on rock- 

 w^ork. It reaches a height of about 2 feet, rather diffuse in 

 habit. The stems and branches are clothed with ovate-lanceo- 

 late stalkless leaves, and hairy, as are all the parts outside the 

 corolla. The flowers are large, bright yellow, with a purple 

 blotch at the base of each petal. They appear in June and 

 continue till August. Native of Spain and Portugal. 



H. croceum {Saff?'07i-coIou7'ed Rock-Rose). — A dwarf, diffuse, 

 somewhat trailing species, yet compact and close in growth, 

 growing from 6 to 9 inches high, producing ovate-lanceolate 

 leaves, hoary and downy beneath, milky green above, and with 

 the margins recurved somewhat. Flowers in terminal drooping 

 racemes or clusters, dark saffron-yellow, appearing in June, 

 July, and August. Native of Spain. 



H. formosum, syn. Cistus formosus {Beautiful Rock-Rose). — 

 Very near algarvense in character, differing chiefly in the exces- 

 sively downy character of the branches and shortly-stalked 

 leaves, which are also more acutely pointed. The flowers are 

 large, bright yellow, each petal having a blackish spot at the 

 base. Height about the same as algarvense^ and the plant is 

 adapted to the same purposes as that species ; but it must be 

 repeated that neither of these, nor indeed any Rock-Rose, will 

 give much satisfaction in wet soil or in shady places, but 

 delight in dr}-, sunny, exposed positions. Native of Portugal. 



H. grandifloram {Great-floiuered Yellow Rock-Rose). — Rather 

 closely related to c7'oceHm, but of larger growth, and producing 

 oblong hairy leaves without recurved margins, and large, hand- 

 some, bright yellow flowers, appearing in June and July. 

 Native of Italy. Adapted for either select rockwork or the 

 front lines of mixed borders. 



H. macranthum (Large-flowered Rock-Rose). — This is a hand- 

 some species, rather trailing in habit, but rising to the height 

 of 9 to 12 inches, producing numerous branches clothed with 

 oblong-oval sharp-pointed leaves, and both leaves and branches 

 densely covered w^th ashy-grey down. The flowers are 

 creamy white, large, and numerous, in terminal racemes. 

 Native of the south of Europe. Best adapted for sunny posi- 

 tions on rockwork. 



H. polifolium {Polhnn-leaved Rock-Rose). — This is a small, 

 compact-growing British species, with white flowers; not one of 

 the most sho'wy, yet its clear white flowers and compact habit 

 render it worthy of a place in larger collections. The whole 

 plant is hoary ; the leaves are narrow, oblong, and much re- 

 curved on the edges, and the height about 6 inches : flowers 



