88 SUB-ALPINE PLANTS 



Stony Alpine and sub-alpine pastures, especially on limestone, 

 extending to 8200 feet. June to August. 



Distribution. Alps, Apennines, Southern France, Spain, and 

 Portugal. 



Helianthemum canum Baumg. 



A rather shrubby prostrate plant, covered with silky hairs, 

 especially on the younger leaves, which are elliptical, sometimes 

 silver-white on the upper side and covered with a grey felt on the 

 under side. Flowers small, yellow. Racemes numerous and short, 

 with small bracts at the base of the pedicels. 



Stony, hilly districts, especially in the forest region. May to 

 August. 



Distribution. Central, Western, and S. -Western Europe from 

 Southern Sweden to Spain. In Switzerland only on the Jura 

 frontier and Valais. On limestone rocks rarely in N.-W. England 

 and Ireland. 



Helianthemum apenninum Lam. et DC. (H. polifolium DC.). 



A shrubby plant about 6 inches to a foot high, with woody base, 

 and less straggling habit than H. vulgare. Leaves narrow, rolled 

 back at the edges, hoary on both sides but especially beneath. 

 Flowers white, with yellow eye. Capsule large, sub-globular, 

 tomentose. Seeds numerous, granular. 



Dry, stony limestone hills, local. May, June. 



Distribution. South, Western, and parts of Central Europe, 

 rare in Switzerland (near Geneva and Locarno, etc.), Algeria. In 

 England on Brean Down, Somerset, and near Torquay. 



Helianthemum vulgare Gaertn., H. Chamacistus Miller. Common 

 Rock-rose. (Plate XL) 



A low undershrub, with short, much-branched, woody stem, 

 and annual flowering branches from 3-10 inches long. Leaves 

 shortly stalked, more or less oblong, but varying from ovate -to 

 lanceolate, glabrous or slightly hairy, and more or less hoary beneath. 

 Stipules linear-lanceolate. Racemes loose, the pedicels deflected. 

 The 3 larger sepals marked with 3 prominent ribs, the 2 outer very 

 small. Petals bright yellow, broadly spreading. Very polymorphic. 



Dry pastures and fields, from the plains to a considerable distance 

 in the mountains. Above 8500 feet on the Col de Torrent, Switzer- 

 land, in 1911. Very common. May to August. 



Distribution. Nearly all Europe, Western Asia. England and 

 Eastern Scotland, but apparently in Ireland only as a casual. 



Helianthemum grandiflorum DC. (H. virescens Gren. and Godr.). 



This is possibly only a large-flowered variety of the last, which 

 assumes so many forms in the Alps. Flowers up to 26 mm. in 



