CIST AGE JS. 335 



glomerules. In L. Drummondii, raised to the rank of a genus, under 

 the name of Leclddium, the partitions are incomplete, and the pla- 

 centas thicker than in the other species, and persistent after the 

 dehiscence of the fruit. 



The Cistuses formed, according to Adanson, 1 in 1763, a family 

 between " the Poppies and Ranunculuses ;" he included in it a great 

 many Biocacece, Hipericacece, and Clusiacea, Sarracena, the Fennel 

 flowers, &c. A. L. de Jussieu 2 much reduced the limits of the family 

 in placing there, on the one hand, the Cistuses and the Helianthe- 

 mums, and on the other hand, as genera affinia, almost all the 

 Violacea known to him. He ranged Hudsonia among the Heaths, 

 and Lechea beside the Flaxes. In 1824, Dunal 3 defined the family 

 as most authors 4 have done since his time, and as we have done in 

 enumerating the four genera — Cistus, Helianthemum, Hudsonia, and 

 Lechea!" Lindley, 6 in 1846, added Cocldospermum, a genus really 

 very nearly allied to the four preceding, more nearly allied still to 

 Bixacece and Ternstrcemiacece. The number of species in this group 

 do not seem to be more than sixty : these are known in Australia, 

 South "Western Asia, and in middle and South Africa. The Cistuses 

 are Mediterranean. The Helianthemums, inhabiting the same 

 regions, extend to the islands of "Western Africa, in Asia, as far as 

 the Punjaub, and there are some in the temperate regions of 

 America. All the known species of Hudsonia and Lechea are from 

 North America. 



There is a great affinity between Cistacece and Dilleniacece ; so 

 much so, in external characters, that the most cultivated species of 

 Hibbertia 7 among us singularly resemble the Cistus, as do also a great 

 many small species of Australian Candollea and Hibbertia. The sta- 

 mens and petals are often the same in both groups, as to form and 



1 Tarn, des PL, ii. 434, Fam. 64. artificial, not clearly defined, generally with 



2 Gen., 294, Ord. 20 (Cisti). links insensibly connecting them with each 



3 In DC, Prodr., i. 263, Ord. 15 (Cis- other, which proves that this small group is a 

 tinea). most natural one, and might be generically 



4 Endl., Gen., 903, Ord. 188 (Cistinem.) — divided and multiplied at will. 



Spach, in Ann. Sc. Nat., ser. 2, vi. 257, 357; 6 Introd., lxix. (1836); Veg. Kingd., 349, 



Suit, a Buffon, vi. 1-114 (Cistacea).—B. H., Ord. 122. 



Gen., 112, Ord. 14 (Cistinece). 7 H. volubilis Andr. (Vol. i. figs. 128- 



5 These genera are however, we think, very 130). 



