318 



ARBORETUM AND FRUT1CETUM. 



PART II] 



§ i. Erythrocistus, Dec. i. p. 264. 



Derivation. From erythros, red, and cistus ; because the flowers of all the species in this section are 

 red or purple. 



Sect. Char. Outer sepals narrowest, and usually smallest; inner ones concave 

 at the base, with scarious margins. Petals rose-coloured, red, or purple, 

 with a yellow spot at the base of each. Capsule 5-celled, from having 

 5 seminiferous partitions, one in the middle of each valve. {Dec. Prod., i. 

 p. 264. ; Don's Mill., i. p. 298.) Low shrubs, evergreen, sub-evergreen, 

 or deciduous, generally with large showy flowers. 



A. Peduncles \-floivered, axillary or terminal, solitary or umbellate. Style cylin- 

 drical, generally longer than the Stamens. Stigma capitate, 5-furrowed. (Ibid.) 



«. 1. CYstus purpu v reus Lam. The purp\e-Jlowered Cistus, or Rock Rose. 



Identification. Lam. Diet, 2. p. 14. ; Ker, in Bot. Reg., t. 408. ; Dec. Prod., 1. p. 264. j Swt. Cist., 



t. 17. ; Don's Mill., 1. p. 298. 

 Synonymes. C. creticus 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. ; and our fig. 64. 



Spec. Char., fyc. 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 and 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 

 crumpled. Stamens numerous, filaments smooth. 

 Style very short; and stigma large, capitate, 5-lobed, 

 papillose. (Swt. Cist., 17.) A shrub about 3 ft. or 

 4 ft. high, and much branched ; the branches are 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 velvet mark, surrounded with red, and slightly branched. 

 The petals are imbricate, and much crumpled. It is a native of the Levant ; 

 but when it was introduced into England is uncertain : it seems to have been 

 cultivated by Gerard under the name of Cistus mas angustifolius, " with 

 flowers of a purple colour, in shape like unto a single-flower briar rose, 

 having leaves very like those of sage, wrinkled somewhat like unto a cloth 

 new dried before it be smooth." It is rather tender; but, if planted near or 

 against a wall, requires no other protection. It flowers abundantly in June 

 and July, and is very ornamental. It grows very fast, and is easily propa- 

 gated by cuttings. 



tL 2. CYstus heterophy'llus Desf. The various-leaved Cistus, or Rock 



Rose. 



Identification. Desf. Atl., 1. p. 411. t. 104. ; Dec. Prod., 1. p. 264.; 



Swt. Cist, t 6. ; Don's Mill., 1. p. 298. 

 Synonymes. The Gum Cistus of Algiers; Ciste heterophylle, Fr. 

 Engravings. Desf. Atl., 1. 1. 104. ; Swt. Cist, t. 6. ; and our Jig.65. 



Spec. Char., $c. Leaves ovate-lanceolate ; petioles 

 very short, hairy, and sheathing at the base; 

 margins of the leaves revolute, green on both 

 sides. Peduncles hairy, one-flowered, with two 

 leafy bracteas about the middle of them. Flowers 

 large, terminal. Calyx of 5 hairy sepals. Petals 5 

 or 6, imbricate, obovate, with roundish points. 

 A stiff' upright woody shrub, with short rigid 

 branches, thickly clothed, as well as the other 

 parts of the plant, with a hairy pubescence. The 



