ROCK-ROSE FAMILY. Cistaceae. 



ROCK-ROSE FAMILY. Cistaceae. 



A rather large family, mostly of the Mediterranean 

 region; herbs or low shrubs; flowers regular, perfect, all the 

 parts borne on the receptacle; sepals five, the two outer 

 ones smaller and bract-like, or lacking; petals three to five; 

 stamens many; ovary superior, one-celled, with a single 

 style, or none; fruit a capsule, with several or many seeds. 



There are many kinds of Helianthemum, widely dis- 

 tributed, perennials; leaves alternate, undivided, toothless; 

 flowers yellow and, in most North American species, of 

 two sorts; the earlier ones with large, yellow petals, very 

 numerous stamens and a many-seeded pod ; the later ones, 

 small, clustered, with small petals or none, three to ten 

 stamens, and small, few-seeded pods. 



A pretty plant, with many, slender 

 Rock-rose 



Helianthemum stems and narrow, yellowish-green leaves, 

 scoparium forming clumps from one to two feet high. 



Yellow The flowers are half an inch to three- 



quarters of an inch across, the buds and 

 calyxes reddish and the petals clear yellow, 

 the pistil greenish, with a three-lobed stigma. In favor- 

 able situations, such as Point Loma, this makes attractive 

 little bushes, neat yet feathery, suggesting large clumps of 

 grass, sprinkled thickly with flowers. 



CACTUS FAMILY. Cacta-eae. 



A large family, nearly all natives of America and of dry 

 or desert places, with strange characteristics, which make 

 them easily recognized, as a whole, but many of the in- 

 dividuals have not yet been studied or described; fleshy 

 plants, with thick stems, often flattened, ridged or covered 

 with knobs, mostly without leaves, usually with spines, 

 which generally protrude from cushions of small bristles; 

 the flowers perfect, regular, showy, and mostly single; 

 sepals, petals, and stamens all numerous; ovary inferior, 

 with a long style and several stigmas; fruit usually a pulpy 

 berry, containing many seeds. 



There are many kinds of Echinocactus, round or oval 

 plants, mostly ribbed, with bunches of spines of several 

 kinds, arranged in straight or spiral rows; the fruits scaly, 

 though spineless. 



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