chap. xi. cista^cejE. helia'nthemum. 329 



sometimes opposite the bracteas, or opposite the leaves, sometimes solitary, 

 sometimes umbellate, and sometimes racemose ; and, before the flowers 

 expand, the racemes at the top are bent or twisted backwards, and become 

 gradually erect as the flowers expand. (Dec. Prod, and G. Don.) Flowers 

 yellow, red, or white. All the species are ornamental ; those which form 

 erect bushy undershrubs are suitable for warm dry borders ; and those 

 which are trailers of the lowest size, for growing on rockwork, for orna- 

 menting old walls or ruins, or for growing in pots. This genus has been 

 arranged by De Candolle in three divisions, which have been subdivided 

 into sections. The divisions are as follows : — 



I. Style straight, erect, almost wanting, or shorter than the stamens. Stigma 

 capitate. § i. ii. and iii., Halimium, hechebides, and Tuberdria, belong to 

 this division. 



II. Style straight, erect, equal with or longer than the stamens. § iv. and v., 

 Macularia and Brachypetalum, belong to this section ; but, as they are en- 

 tirely herbaceous, we omit them. 



III. Style bent at the base ; to which belong § vi. vii. viii. and ix., Eriocarpum, 

 Fumdna, Pseudo-C'istus, and Euhelianthemum. 



§ i. Halimium Dec. Prod., 1. p. 267. 



Derivation. From halimos, marine; alluding to the habitation of the plants by the sea-side. {Don's 

 Mill., 1. p. 301.) 



Sect, Char. Calyx usually of 3 equal sepals ; rarely of 5 unequal sepals, but 

 when this is the case the two outer ones are the smallest. Petals rarely 

 white, usually yellow, wedged-shaped, truncate, and marked at the base with 

 a dark bloody or intense yellow spot. Style straight, short or almost 

 wanting. Stigma capitate, somewhat 3-lobed. Seeds few, blackish, mi- 

 nutely muricated, and somewhat angular. Erect shrubs. Leaves opposite, 

 3-nerved, without stipules, pilose, or tomentose. Peduncles 1 — 3-flow- 

 ered, axillary, solitary, or umbellate, or rarely panicled. {Dec. and G. Don.) 



A. Style shorty straight. 

 «. 1. H. Z/IBANO n tis Willd. The Rosemary-leaved Helianthemum, or Sun Rose. 



Identification. Willd. Enum., 570. ; Don's Mill., 1. p. 301. 



Synonymes. Cistus iibanbtis Lin. Sp.,739., Brot. Fl. Lus., 2. p. 261., but not of Lam. or Desf. ; 



H. rosmarinifblium Lag. in Litt., but not of Pursh ; Barrel. Icon., 294. ; Ledon, viii., Clus. 



hist., i. p. 80. ic ; Ciste a Feuilles de Rosmarin, Fr. 



Spec. Char., $c. Erect, smoothish, branched. Leaves sessile, linear, with 

 revolute margins ; upper surface brownish green, under surface somewhat 

 canescent. Bracteas oblong-linear, shorter than the peduncles. Peduncles 

 solitary, 1-flowered. Calyx of 3 sepals, smooth, shining, ovate-acuminate. 

 (Don's Mill., i. p. 301.) A shrub growing to the height of 1 ft., a native 

 of Portugal and Mauritania, and introduced into England in 1752. It pro- 

 duces yellowish-white flowers in June and July, and is of the easiest 

 culture. 



«. 2. H. umbella v tum Mill. The umbeUate-Jloiuered Helianthemum, or 



Sun Rose. 



Identification. Mill. Diet., No. 5. ; Don's Mill., 1. p. 302. 



Synonymes. Cistus umbellatus Lin. Sp., 739. ; Cistus Z-ibanbtis of some. 



Spec. Char., fyc. Suffruticose, branched, younger branches tomentosely pilose, 

 clammy. Leaves sessile, linear-oblong, with revolute margins, clammy; 

 under surface tomentose. Peduncles 1-flowered, disposed in whorled ra- 

 cemes, terminal, umbellate. Calyx 3-sepaled, villous. (Don's Mill., i. p. 

 302.) An undershrub 1 ft. high, with white flowers from June to August. 

 Introduced into England in 1731. This is a very handsome and very dis- 

 tinct sort, well adapted for ornamenting rockwork, or for growing in pots. 

 Sweet says it is generally sold in the nurseries under the name of Cistus 

 Libanotis. Plants were in the Hammersmith Nursery in 1825. 



