155 
CYTINUS HYPOCISTIS. 
Rape of Cistus. 
MON(ECIA MONADELPHIA.— Nat. Ord. ARISTOLOCHm ? 
Gen. Char. — Masc. Perianthium simplex, campanulatum, quadrifidura, basi 
bisquamosum. Antheros 8, biloculares. F(em. Perianthmm ut in mare. 
Stigma capitatum, sulcatum. Bacca 8-locularis Pers. 
Plant parasitical upon the roots of some species of Cistus. Stem 2-4 inches 
long, quite simple, fleshy, whitish, from a narrow base, gradually en- 
larged upwards, clothed with numerous imbricating scales, and with only 
the upper part appearing above ground. Scales ovato-lanceolate, fleshy, 
those below small, yellow, often tinged with brown, those above much 
larger and longer, bright yellow, with a tinge of red, slightly downy. 
Flowers monoecious, within the uppermost scales, one in each, tubulato- 
campanulate, of a fleshy substance near the base, having an opposite 
pair of lanceolate scales meeting together at the top, and at first cover- 
ing the flowers, slightly downy: the single Perianthium is 4-lobed; 
lobes scarcely spreading, ovate, obtuse. The male and female flowers 
seem to be exactly alike. In the Male, the base is thick and fleshy, and 
apparently on dissection having 4 abortive cells. Column of the sta- 
mens short, cylindrical. Anthers oblong, 8 in number, surrounding the 
top of the column, and sessile upon it. Female perianth adherent with 
the ovary. Style short, cylindrical, downy. Stigma capitate, with 
8-10 deep furrows, brown: the ridges looking like so many abortive 
anthers. As far as I could judge from the transverse section of a single 
germen, there appeared to be one cell, with 8 elevated, longitudinal 
ridges, upon which the numerous ovules were inserted. Authors, how- 
ever, describe the fruit as an oval coriaceous Berry, of eight cells, con- 
taining many small rounded seeds. 
Having received some recently dried specimens of the Cy- 
tinus hypocistis from the South of France from Professor De- 
LiLE of Montpellier, and a sketch and some notes made from 
fresh individuals by my friend G. Bentham, Esq. of the 
same country, I am now enabled to publish a figure of this rare 
and curious plant. 
VOL. II. 
ii 
I 
