ROCK-ROSE TRIBE 31 



spikes. Most of the plants of this Order inhabit Europe and the 

 neighbouring parts of Africa and Asia. Reseda odorala, mignon- 

 ette, is a native of Egypt, and on account ;of the dehcious perfume 

 of its flowers is a uni\'ersal garden favourite. 



I. Reseda (]\fignonette). — Calyx many-parted ; petals entire, 

 or variously cut, unequal ; stamens numerous ; capsule i-celled, 

 opening at the top. (Name from the Latin, rescdo, to calm, from 

 the supposed sedative qualities of some species.) 



I. Resed.\ {Mignoiielte) 



1. 7?. hiteola (Dyer's Rocket, Yellow-weed, or Weld). — Leaves 

 narrow, undivided ; calyx 4-parted. An erect herbaceous plant, 

 1-2 feet high, with long blunt shining leaves, and terminal .spikes 

 of yellowish flowers, with conspicuous stamens, and short flattened 

 capsules. It was used to dye wool yellow, or, with indigo, green ; 

 the whole j)lant when in flower being boilerl for that purpose. 

 Waste places, especially on chalk or limestone soils. — Fl. summer. 

 Annual or biennial. 



2. R. liitea (Wild Mignonette). — Leaves 3-cleft, lower ones pinna- 

 tifid ; calyx 6-parted ; petals 6, very unequal. More bushy tlian the 

 last, and not so tall, and may be distinguished by the above charac- 

 ters, as well as by the shorter and broader flower spikes. On chalky 

 hills and waste places. — Fl. July, August. Biennial. 



3. R. alba (White Mignonette or Shrubby Rocket). — Leaves 

 pinnate, glaucous ; sepals usually 5 ; petals the same ; flowers 

 whitish. A garden plant, sometimes found as an escape in waste 

 places. — Fl. summer. Biennial. 



Natural Order VIII 

 CISTACEiE. — The Rock-Rose Tribe 



Sepals either 3 equal, or 5 with 2 smaller than the rest twisted 

 in the bud ; petals 5, twisted when in bud in a direction contrary 

 to the sepals, soon falling off ; stamens numerous ; ovary single ; 

 style and stigma simple ; capsule 3-5, or, rarely, TO-valved ; seeds 

 numerous. Mostly shrubby, but sometimes herbaceous plants, 

 often with sticky branches ; leaves entire ; flowers white, red, or 

 yellow, lasting a very short time. The plants of this Order are 

 almost confined to the south of Europe and north of America ; 

 the only species which possesses any remarkable properties is Cistus 

 Creticus, which affords the balsam called Gum Ladanum. 



I. Helianthemum (Rock-Rose). — Sepals 5, the two outer either 

 smaller or wanting ; petals 5 ; stamens numerous ; capsule 3- 

 valved. (Name from the Greek, helios, the sun, and anfhos, a 

 flower, because the flowers expand when t],ie sun shines.) 



