vul. cista‘cE®: ci’/stus. 55 
vessel ; on account of the shape of its capsules, In Martyn’s Miller, the name is said to be derived 
from that of the youth Cistus, whose story is to be found in Cassianus Bassus. Others derive it 
from A7s, a worm or weevil. 
Identification, ‘Tourn., Lin., Dec., G. Don. 
Ssynonymes. Holly Rose, Gerard; Gum Cistus; Ciste, Fr.; Cisten Rose, Ger.; Cisto Ital. 
Gen. Char, Calyx of 5 sepals. Sepals disposed.in « double series; 2 outer 
ones unequal, sometimes wanting. Peta/s 5, eyual, somewhat cuneated, 
caducous. Séamens numerous, usually exserted from the glandular disk, 
Style filiform, Stigma capitate. Capsule covered by the calyx, 5- or 
10-valved, with a seminiferous partition in the middle of each valve, 
therefore 5- or 10-celled. Seeds ovate, angular. Embryo filiform, spiral. 
Leaves simple, opposite, exstipulate, sub-evergreen, entire or toothed; 
the petioles embracing the stem. Flowers axillary, or many flowered 
peduncles ; large, beautiful, resembling a rose, red or white. —Shrubs or 
subshrubs, natives of the South of Europe and Northof Africa, Only 
two or three species .or subspecies, and their varieties, are hardy in the 
climate of London, 
« 1. Ci’stus purpUREUS Lam. The purple-fowered Cistus, or Rock Rose. 
Identification. Lam. Dict., 2. p. 14.; Dec. Prod., 1. p. 264..; Don’s Mill., 1. p. 298. 
Synonymes. C.créticus Hort. Kew.; the purple Gum Cistus. the purple shrubby Cistus ; Ciste 
pourpre, Fr.; purpurrothe Cisten Rose, Ger. 
Engravings. Bot. Reg., t. 408.; Swt. Cist., t. 17.3; and our fig. 77. 
Spec. Char., $c. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, obtuse or 
' acute, and more or less rugose ; reticulately veined, 
with undulated margins. Petioles short, hairy, con- 
nected at the base, and sheathing the stem. Flowers 
terminal, from 1 to 6, on short peduncles. Bracteas 
sessile, leaf-like, pubescent, broad atid concave at the ¢ 
base, where they are connected, and terminating in ‘ 
acute points. Pedicels short, and with the calyx hairy. 
Calyx of 5 sepals. Petals 5 or 6, obovate or wedge- 
shaped ; very much imbricate, more or less crum- 
pled. Stamens numerous, filaments smooth. Style 
very short; and stigma large, capitate, 5-lobed, payil- 
lose. (Swt. Cist.) A sub-evergreen low bush. Levant. 
Height 3 tt. to4ft. Introduced in 1659. Flowers 
large, bright reddish purple, with a yellow spot at the 
base. June and July. Capsule brown; ripe in Sept. Decaying leaves brown. 
77. Cistus purp . reus. 
Branches numerous, erect, and clothed with a brownish pubescence. 
The flowers are very large and handsome, of a bright reddish purple, with 
a yellow spot at the base, above which is a large dark purple velvet mark, 
surrounded with red, and slightly branched. The petals are imbricate, and 
much crumpled. ‘It flowers abundantly in June and July ; grows very fast, is 
easily propagated by cuttings, and is very ornamental. 
» 2. C.1nca’nus L. The hoary Cistus, or Rock Rose. 
Identification. Lin. Sp., 737.3; Smith’s Fl. Grec., 494.; Don’: Mill., I. 
- 298, 
Synonymes. C. a\bidus Hort.; C. cymdsus Dec.; Ciste cotonneux, Fr. ; 
bestaubte Cisten Rose, Ger. 7 
Engravings. Bot. Mag., t. 43. ; Swt. Cist., t. 44.5 and our fig. 78. 
Spec. Char., Gc. Leaves spathulate, tomentose, wrinkled, ,. 
somewhat 3-nerved, sessile, somewhat connate at the base, 
upper ones narrower. Peduncles 1—3-flowered. (Don’s 
Mill.) A hoary evergreen shrub. Spain and France, Height 
2 ft. to 3ft. Introduced in 1597. Plowers reddish purple, 
with the petioles emarginate. June and July. Capsule 
brown ; ripe in September. Decaying leaves brown. 
Quite hardy in dry soil. 
78. Cistus incdnus, 
E4 
