50 ciSTACE^. [Helianthemum. 



invests the back and upper margin of the fleshy ciliated nectary on which the sta- 

 mens are inserted ; 2 lateral petals semilunate, sometimes slightly divided, with 

 the same ligulate process at the base of their inferior margin, and a similar but 

 smaller winged appendage than that of the upper ones ; 2 lowermost petals very 

 minute, reduced to the alate appendage crowned with the )igulate one. Hooker 

 considers this latter as a lobe of the petal, according to which view the 2 superior 

 are trifid, the 2 lateral bifid, and the 2 inferior petals undivided. Stamens nume- 

 rous ; filaments white, fusiform, very acute ; anthers greenish, afterwards buff- 

 coloured. Styles 3, subglobose, greenish. Capsules l-celled, erect, oblong, about 

 5 or 6 lines in length, trigonous, the sides deeply depressed and furrowed, trun- 

 cate at the summit, with the margins of the triangular dehiscence inflexed, papil- 

 lose, scabrous, particularly at the angles, which are murieate with hyaline points, 

 often reddish. Seeds ovoid-reniform, olive-brown or finally nearly black, splen- 

 dent and glabrous. 



Reseda fruticulosa, L., or alba, common in gardens, and known as the Upright 

 Mignonette, distinguished by its long tapering racemes of white flowers, is occa- 

 sionally found with us on garden-rubbish, or in loose sand near the sea, but 

 nowhere so plentiful or perfectly naturalized as to merit insertion here. 



Order VIII. CISTACE^, Juss. 



"Sepals 3, with a twisted aestivation, with usually 3 outer smaller 

 ones. Petals 5, deciduous, with a twisted and crumpled aestiva- 

 tion. Stamens numerous. Ovary 1, 1- or many-celled. Style 1. 

 Stigma capitate, simple. Capsule of 3 — 5, rarely 10 valves. Seeds 

 numerous. Embryo spiral or cm'ved, in a mealy albumen. — Shrubs 

 or herbaceous plants abounding in Southern Europe and Northern 

 Africa, with handsome, generally fugacious flowers." — Br. Ft. 



I. Helianthemum, Tourn. Rock-rose. 



" Sepals 5, of which 3 are equal and 2 outer ones smaller. Cap- 

 sule 3-valved."— 5r. Fl. 



1. H. vulgar e, Gtertn. Common Rock-rose or Dwarf Gistus. 

 " Shrubby procumbent stipuled, leaves opposite ovate or oblong 

 nearly flat green above, racemes solitary terminal bracteated, pedi- 

 cels elongated deflexed in fruit, style bent at the base somewhat 

 clavate at the apex." — Br. Fl. p. 45. Cistus Helianthemum, L. : 

 E. B. t. 1321. C. tomentosus, E. B. t. 2208. 



Var. /3. Base of the petals yellow. 



Abundant on dry, .sloping, sunny banks, pastures, heathy places and along the 

 margins of woods, in sandy, gravelly or chalky soil. Fl. June — September. If. 



On Brading and Ashey downs, &c. It fringes the roadside descending from 

 Newport. Between Calbourne and Brixton. Near Brading and Yaverland. 

 Downs near Freshwater, Mr. SnooJte. 



0. " Chalk-pit near Carishrooke castle,'' Mr. D. {Dawson P) Turner, according 

 to Mr. Smoke. Could this have been H. guttatuni ? 



Capsules the size of small peas, brownish or whitish, thin and friable, ovato- 

 globose, subpedunculate, finely downy all over, trigonous, 1 -celled, bursting along 



the rather acute angles, the intermediate faces convex. Seeds about 10 20, 



small, pale reddish brown (not black in my perfectly ripe specimens), slightly 

 jough with minute furfuraceous scaliness, dimpled and angular. 



