506 



DOMESTIC BOTANY. 



The Eock Eose Family. 



(ClSTACE^.) 



Small shrubs, frutlets, or herbs. Leaves opposite, alter- 

 nate, entire, broad or heath-like. Flowers showy, solitary, or 

 in loose panicles. Sepals 3 or 5, persistent, twisted. Petals 

 5, crumpled in the bud, and twisted in a contrary direction 

 to the sepals. Stamens numerous, seldom few. Fruit a 3-, 

 5-, or 10-valved capsule, generally numerous. 



Nearly 200 species are enumerated in this family, the 

 greater number being natives of the South of Europe, 

 Western Asia, North of Africa, and islands in the Mediter- 

 ranean ; rarely in other parts of the world. 



Gum Ladanum {Cistus creticus). A native of Crete and 

 other islands of the Mediterranean ; it produces the gum 

 called Ladanum, which is collected during the heat of the 

 day, by trailing or tossing a bunch of leather -thongs over 

 the bushes, to which the gum adheres. It is also collected 

 from the beards of goats which browse amongst the plants. 



Gum Cistus (Cistus ladaniferus). This is the beautiful 

 gum cistus of the gardens. It is a native of Spain, Portugal, 

 and islands of the Mediterranean. A gum exudes from the 

 leaves, and is collected in the same manner as the preceding. 

 Both were formerly employed in medicine, but are now not 

 much used except in perfumery, and more especially by the 

 Turks, who chew it and use it in various preparations. 



Rock Rose {Cistus Helianthemum). A pretty little ever- 

 green shrub, with yellow flowers, native of clifis and rocky 

 places in this country. There are many varieties cultivated 

 in gardens, with double and different coloured flowers. Their 

 stamens are peculiarly elastic; on being pressed together 

 they resume their original position so quickly that the eye 

 almost fails to detect the movement. 



In alliance with the preceding is the genus Cochlospermum, 

 consisting of about a dozen species of shrubs or small trees, 

 natives of the tropics. They have large showy yellow cistus- 



