814 SYLVA FLORIFERA. [ADDEND, 



The Latins adopted the same name, which 

 has been followed by all the European 

 languages. 



In English, it is frequently called the Rock 

 Rose, because it grows naturally in rocky soil 

 and situations. The trivial name of Ladani- 

 ferus is added to this species of cistus, because 

 in warm climates it produces a gum or drug 

 called Ladanum ; which is a medicine of 

 great antiquity, and considerable utility in 

 pharmacy* 



Dioscorides relates, that ladanum was for- 

 merly collected by means of goats, which, 

 browsing on these shrubs, returned to their 

 sheds with their beards loaded with a olu- 

 tinous substance collected from the leaves of 

 the cistus, which the peasants combed off, and 

 formed into little lumps. 



Tournefort tells us, that the common way 

 of gathering the ladanum, when he was in the 

 Levant, was by brushing it off the leaves 

 with a sort of whip, composed of many lashes, 

 or straps, to which it adhered ; and from these 

 it was taken off with knives, and formed into 

 little cakes. Bellonius also notices, that it is 

 collected by slightly brushing the shrub, in 

 the heat of summer, with a kind of rake, 

 having several straps or thongs of leather 

 fixed to it, instead of teeth. 



