616 HELIANTHEMUM 



Var. SYRIACUM, Willkomm (H. syriacum, Boissier\ is a curious dwarf, 

 semi-prostrate variety, rising only a few inches from the ground. Flowers 

 usually two or three in an inflorescence, pale yellow or yellowish white. 



Nearly allied to H. umbellatum is H. LIBANOTIS, Willdenow (H. rosmar- 

 inifolium, ffort.\ with very similar foliage,-but its flowers are yellow, solitary, 

 sometimes in pairs or in threes, at the end of short lateral twigs. Sepals 

 smooth. 



H. VINE ALE, Per soon. 



(Sweet's Cistineae, t. 77 ; H. canum, Dunal.") 



A dwarf shrub, forming a compact tuft rarely more than 6 ins. high, but 

 I ft. or more in diameter ; young stems and leaves covered with a short down 

 and a few hairs. Leaves hairy and green above, grey beneath with down, 

 ovate-oblong, to f in. long. Flowers in terminal racemes, sometimes a 

 panicle, usually of three to six blooms, each ^ in. across, bright yellow, un- 

 blotched. Sepals five, hairy, the two outer ones very small ; stipules absent. 

 Seed-vessel thickly hairy. 



Native of Europe, and found in a few stations in the British Isles, mostly 

 on limestone, in the west of England and the west of Ireland. It is hardy, 

 and makes a pleasing little tuft for the rock garden when covered with its 

 brightly coloured flowers. From the other British species it is not only 

 distinct in its small, compact habit ; it differs also in having no stipules. With 

 the species cultivated in gardens it is only likely to be confused with 

 H. alpestre, which has also no stipules, but whose leaves are green on both 

 surfaces. Botanists also rely on the longer, oval and pointed flower-buds of 

 H. alpestre as a disinction from the globose ones of the present species. 



H. VULGARE, Gaertner. 



(H. Chamaecistus, Miller ; H. variabile, Spach^ 



A low semi-shrubby plant, covering ground over 2 or 3 ft. across, but 

 scarcely rising more than I ft. above it ; the older stems prostrate, the young 

 flowering ones erect, somewhat hairy. Leaves flat, variable in size and shape, 

 usually oblong, sometimes approaching ovate or lanceolate ; f to 2 ins. long, 

 \ to \ in. wide, sometimes green on both sides, but usually grey or white with 

 stellate down beneath, and more or less bristly hairy above ; stalk |- to -fy in. 

 long ; stipules lance-shaped, longer than the leaf-stalk. Racemes terminal, 

 with many but successively developed flowers. Flower-stalks decurved, erect 

 only when the flower is expanded. Flowers yellow, about i in. across. 

 Sepals five, the two outer ones small, fringed with hairs ; three inner ones 

 ovate, with three or four prominent hairy ribs. 



Native of Europe, where it is widely spread, including the British Isles. 

 This is probably the hardiest of all the sun roses, and is well known in gardens 

 by the numerous, highly coloured, sometimes double-flowered varieties which 

 have sprung from it, making brilliant displays from May to July. It is some- 

 times found with rosy flowers in a wild state. Some of the best cultivated 

 forms are unnamed, and have been raised in the ordinary way from seed. 

 Others have been given popular names ; two of the best being " Fireball," 

 bright scarlet-red, and *' the Bride," pure white. Robert Sweet, in his book 

 on the Cistus family, published 1825-1830, figured and described numerous 

 varieties under Latin names. Some of these have been lost, but of those 

 that survive a selection is here given. It is, however, in the power of anyone 

 to obtain as good or better forms by raising seedlings themselves. In all its 

 forms H. vulgare is only a morning bloomer, the flowers closing soon after 

 midday the bright red " Fireball" is one of the latest to keep open. In 



