The Rock Roses 



Cist^ls albidus is another desirable shrub of con- 

 siderable hardiness, which has been cultivated since 1640. 

 The whiteness referred to in its specific name is due to 

 the felting of white tufted hairs that covers all the 

 young green parts of the shrub stems, leaves and 

 sepals. (There are five of the latter in this particular 

 species, not three as in the last.) The flowers are 

 again large, as much as 2\ inches in diameter; the 

 petals a rich purplish-rose in hue, with a yellow blotch 

 marking the base of each. As the blossoms are 

 collected, some half-dozen together, into clusters at 

 the ends of the branches the whole effect is distinctly 



gay- 



Cistus crispus is very like the last-named species, but 

 the leaves are narrow with very crimped margins. Again 

 we have the felting of hairs and the rose-hued flowers, 

 though the colour is a somewhat deeper red. It is a shrub 

 of rather small size, two feet being its average height. 



Cistus ladaniferus, the ladanum-bearing, or Gum 

 Cistus, so called because its leaves feel somewhat clam- 

 mier than most, is particularly handsome. Its solitary 

 flowers measure three to four inches across, and no other 

 hardy Cistus can boast of larger. The petals are white ; 

 in one variety, C. maculatus, very commonly met with, 

 they are stained at the base with a blood-red blotch. The 

 Rock Roses are famous at hybridising, and apparently 

 all the beautiful spotted Rock Roses that enhance our 



N 197 



