42 Rock-rose (Cistacecz) 



The peculiar spring arrangement of the stamens helps 

 to secure the desirable cross-fertilization of the flower. 

 The honey being between the base of the stamens 

 and the seed-case, when an insect in searching for the 

 sweets touches a stamen he " springs" it. Thereupon he 

 receives a smart rap and a dusting from the pollen-covered 

 anther, and so is frightened away to other flowers. 



5. Family CISTACE^E. (Rock-rose Fam.) 

 Genus HUDSONIA, L. (Hudsonia.) 



From the name of an early English botanist. 



Fig. 5. Hudsdnia. H. tomentbsa, Nutt. 



Flowers, bright-yellow, small, with stalks sometimes pres- 

 ent and short, but usually wanting, crowded along 

 the upper parts of the branches. Petals, five, not 

 united, lasting only for a day. Sepals, five, two of 

 them minute, and all of them much smaller than the 

 petals. Stamens, nine to thirty. Style, long and 

 slender. Seed-case, one, free, with one cell and two 

 to six seeds. May to June. 



Leaves, scale-like, about one twelfth of an inch long, 

 closely pressed to the branches and covering them, 

 downy and whitish. 



Fruit, oblong, one-celled, two- to six-seeded, enclosed in 

 the calyx. A pod. 



Found, on sandy shores from Maine to Maryland and along 

 the great lakes westward to Minnesota. 



A very bushy heath-like little shrub, usually less than 

 one foot high, and oftenest found growing in thick, matted 

 patches. 



