Cistus Helianthemum. Dwarf Cistus. 



CISTUS Lin. Gen. PL Polyandria Monogynia. 



Cor. 5-petala. Cal. 5-phyllus ; foliolis duobus minoribusi Capfula. 



Rail Syn. Gen. 24. Herb^ pentapetalje vasculifer^e. 



CISTUS Helianthemum fufTruticofus procumbens, ftipulis lanceolatis, foliis oblongis revolutis fubpilofis* 

 Lin. Syjl. Vegetab. Sp. PL 744. FL Suec. n. 472. 



CISTUS foliis conjugates, ellipticis, hirfutis, integerrimis, petiolis unifloris, fubhirfutis* Hall. HIJl. 1033» 



CISTUS Helianthemum. Scopoll FL Cam. n. 649. 



, CHAMiE CISTUS vulgaris flore luteo. Bauh. p. 465. 



HELIANTHEMUM Anglicum luteum. Ger. em. 1282. 



HELIANTHEMUM vulgare. Parkins. 6 $6. Rail Syn. p. 341. Dwarf Ciftus, or little Sun-Flower. 

 Hudfon FL Angl. ed. 2. p. 233. Llghtfioot FL Scot. p. 281. Oeder FL Dan. 101. 



RADIX perennis, fublignofa, fufca. % ROOT perennial, fomewhat woody and brown. 



CAULES plurimi, fuffruticoii, procumbentes, teretes, | STALKS numerous, fomewhat fhrubby, procumbent, 

 inferne glabri, fuperne hirfutuli, faepius rubi- X round, below fmooth, above flightly hairy, 



cundi. X moft commonly reddim. 



FOLIA oppofita, breviffime petiolata, oblongo-ovata, % LEAVES oppoiite, ftanding on very fhort foot- ftalks, of 

 acutiufcula, marginibus fubrevolutis, fuperne | an oblong ovate fhape, fomewhat pointed, the 



faturate viridia, fcabriufcula, fubpilofa, -pilisj: edges flightly rolled back, on the upper fide of 



furcatis, inferne fubtomentofa, jig. 1. | a deep green colour, roughifh, and fomewhat 



I hairy, the hairs forked, on the under fide a 



¥ little downy, Jig. 1 . 



STIPULiE quaternas, lanceolatae, pilofae. | STIPULE growing four together, lanceolate, and hairy. 



CALYX: Perianthium pentaphyllum, perfiftens, fo-^CALYX: a Perianthium of five leaves and perma- 

 liolis tribus fuperioribus ovatis, obtufiufculis, I nent, the three uppermoft ones ovate, bluntifh, 



membranaceis, fubdiaphanis, sequalibus, con-^: membranous, fomewhat tranfparent, equal, 



cavis, trinervibus, nervis coloratis, hirfutulis, I concave, three-ribbed, the ribs coloured and 



duobus inferioribus minimis, lateralibus hir- % hairy, the two lowermoft very fmall, lateral, 



futis, fig. 2, 3. I and hairy, fig. 2, 3. 



COROLLA; Pet ala quinque obcordata, flava, mar- ^ COROLLA : five Petals inverfely heart-fhaped, of a 

 gine exteriore crenulata, fig. 4. % yellow colour, the outer edge flightly notched, 



I fig. 4. 



STAMINA: Filamenta numerofa, capillaria, flava, % STAMINA : Filaments numerous, capillary, yellow, 

 receptaculo fupra calycem inferta. Anthers | inferted into the receptacle above the calyx, 



fubrotundae, parvae, flavae, fig. 5. % Anthers roundifh, fmall, and yellow, fig. 5. 



PISTILLUM: Germen fubrotundum. Stylus Ion- 1 PISTILLUM : G:.rmen roundifh. Style the length 

 gitudine ftaminum, fuperne craffior, inferne ^ of the flamina, thicker in its upper part, and 



faepius curvatus. Stigma capitatum, planum, | crooked below. Stigma forming a little flat 



fig. 6. I head, fig. 6. 



PERICARPIUM: Capsula fubrotunda, calyce teda, ? SEED-VESSEL : a roundifti Capsule, covered with 

 uniloculars, trivalvis, fig. 7. | the calyx, of one cavity and three valves, 



I &- 7- 



SEMINA plurima, majufcula, ovato-acuta, rufa, fig. 8. | SEEDS numerous, rather large, ovate, pointed, and of 



I a reddifh brown colour, fig. 8. 



Moil: of the plants of the Ciltus tribe are highly efteemed for their beauty, and generally cultivated in the gardens 

 of the curious. Though our prefent fpecies cannot vie with many of thofe which are the produce of warmer 

 climates, vet it is one of the moft ornamental of our native plants, and admirably well calculated to decorate a rock 

 or dry bank, efpecially if its feveral varieties with white, rofe, and lemon- coloured flowers be intermixed. The 

 particular merit of this plant is, that it is hardy, eafily propagated, either by feeds or cuttings, and continues for 

 the greateft part of the fummer to put forth daily a multitude of new blofloms. 



Mr. Lawson is faid by Mr. Ray to have found it producing white flowers. I have myfelf obferved a wild variety 

 with pale yellow blofloms. A variety with double flowers is mentioned by Haller, which, if it could be 

 -procured, would be a valuable acquifition to our gardens. Linnaeus has remarked, that the petals fometimes have 

 an orange-coloured fpot at their bafe ; and the leaves have been obferved to vary much in breadth. 



In chalky foils the Cifius Helianthemum is extremely common ; but as that does not abound in the neighbourhood 

 of London, it is confequently fcarce with us. 



On a clofe examination of the hairs on the leaves we difcovered them to be forked ; a character which may, 

 perhaps, contribute to diftinguilh it from the polifolia, to which it feems very nearly related. 



It flowers from June to Augufi. 



