52 THE CISTUS FAMILY. [Helianthemum. 



The geographical range is the same as that of the family. 



Erect annual 1. H. guttatum. 



Diffuse, much branched undershrubs. 



No stipules to the leaves (flowers small) 2. H. canum. 



A pair of stipules at the base of each leaf. 

 Leaves green above, nearly flat. Flowers usually yellow . 3. H. vulgare. 

 Leaves whitish on both sides, the edges rolled back. Flowers 



always white 4. JET. poiifolium. 



1. H. guttatum, Mill. (fig. 117). Spotted R — An erect, hairy annual, 

 often branched at the base, from a few inches to near a foot high. 

 Leaves narrow-oblong or lanceolate, or the lower ones obovate and 

 very obtuse ; the upper ones more pointed, and often bearing stipules, 

 which are wanting to the lower ones. Eacemes loose, with small flowers 

 on slender pedicels. Petals very fugacious, yellow, with or without 

 a dark spot at their base, varying in size, and in being entire or jagged. 

 Style straight. 



In pastures, fields, and waste places, very common in western and 

 southern Europe, extending northward through France to the Channel 

 Islands, Cork in Ireland, and Holyhead mountain in Anglesea. Fl. 

 summer. The Anglesea specimens are rather stunted, with broader leaves 

 and usually bracteate pedicels (those of guttatum proper being ebracteate) ; 

 they form the H. Breweri, Planch. 



2. H. canum, Dun. (fig. 118). Hoary R — A much smaller and more 

 compact undershrub than H. vulgare. The leaves much smaller, seldom 

 6 lines long, white underneath, or sometimes on both sides, and all 

 without stipules. Eacemes numerous and short, with small bracts at 

 the base of the pedicels. Flowers yellow, very much smaller than in 

 H. vulgare. Style sigmoid. H. marifolium, Mill., the earliest name. 



In rocky, hilly districts, in central, western, and southern Europe, 

 extending to Sweden. Eather rare in Britain, on limestone rocks in 

 western and north-western England, and a form with the leaves nearly 

 glabrous above, H. vineale, Pers., in Clare and the isle of Aran on the 

 coast of Ireland. Fl. summer. 



3. H. vulgare, Gssrtn. (fig. 119). Common R. — A low, diifuse under- 

 shrub, with a short, much branched, woody stem, and annual procum- 

 bent or ascending flowering branches, from a few inches to near a foot 

 long. Leaves shortly stalked, mostly oblong, but varying from ovate 

 to lanceolate, scarcely curved down on the edges, glabrous or slightly 

 hairy, green above, and more or less hoary or white underneath. 

 Stipules linear-lanceolate, 1 to 2 or even 3 lines long. Eacemes loose, 

 the pedicels deflected before and after flowering. The 3 larger sepals 

 marked with 3 very prominent ribs, and often scarious between them ; 

 the 2 outer very small. Petals broad spreading, bright yellow, near 6 

 lines long and broad. Style bent upwards. 



In dry meadows and pastures, throughout Europe and western Asia. 

 Common in England and eastern Scotland, but unknown in Ireland. 

 Fl. all summer. A curious accidental deformity, H. surrejanum, Mill., 

 occasionally seen in gardens, and supposed to have been originally found 

 near Croydon in Surrey, has small, narrow, deeply cut petals. The 

 Rockroses of our gardens are chiefly varieties of this species, which, 

 under cultivation, varies much in the colour of its flowers. 



4. H. polifolium, Mill. (fig. 120). White R. — Very near H. vulgare, and 

 by some considered as one of its numerous varieties. It is less straggling, 



