Beautiful Flowering Shrubs 



In the centre of the flower is a big globular seed- 

 case, yellow, with downy rough surface ; and set on a 

 very short thick column is a flat knob with roughened 

 surface. It is this surface that collects the pollen grains 

 which, later, send down the finest of tubes through 

 the thick column and pass their fertilising contents to 

 the many ovules within the seed-case. 



Eventually this seed-case develops into a big, hard, 

 brown capsule, which has given the plants their generic 

 name, for " Cistus " is derived from Kiste, signifying 

 a box. The old name Cisten Rose has obviously the 

 same derivation. 



The interior of the capsule is divided into five com- 

 partments, down the middle of each of which a fine 

 wall, or septum, runs. The last stage of development 

 is reached about October, when the capsule splits into 

 five portions and releases the little seeds. 



This description of the flower in the Laurel-leaved 

 Rock Rose serves also in all essentials for that of all 

 the other species. 



This shrub was introduced into this country in 

 1731, and as a flowering evergreen for a dry situation 

 it is hard to beat; under the noonday heat of the June 

 sun it is not only a refreshing joy in its contrast of 

 gleaming white flowers upon a dark-green shining 

 foliage, but it is also a joy in the faint incense-like 



aroma that it diffuses around. 



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