p. 660.— Lightf. FI. Scot. v. i. p. 281.— Sibth. Ft. Oxon. p. 167.— Abb. Ft. Bedf. 
p. 117. — Tliomp. PI. Berw. p. 56. — Davies’ Welsh. Bot. p. 54. — Purt. Midi. FI. 
v. i. p. 253.— Relh. Ft. Cant. (3rd. ed. ) p. 216. — Hook. FI. Scot. p. 170. — FI. Dev. 
pp. 91 & 186. — Johnst. FI. Benv, v. i. p. 120. — Winch’s FI. of Northumberl. and 
Durh. p. 36. — Walker's FI. of Oxf. p. 151. — Perry’s PI. Varvic. Selects!, p. 45. — 
Cow. FI. Guide, p. 27.— Mack. Catal. PI. Irel. p. 52. 
Localities. — On dry and hilly pastures, on a chalky or gravelly soil; not un- 
common. 
Small Shrub. — Flowers from May to September. 
Root woody. Stems several, somewhat shrubby, procumbent, 
or slightly ascending, round, smooth below, more or less hairy 
above, often reddish, leafy. Leaves simple, opposite, on very short 
stalks, egg-shaped, or elliptic oblong, entire, green on the upper 
surface, and somewhat hairy ; paler and downy on the under, the 
margins scarcely revolute. Slipulas 4 at each joint of the stem, 
spear-shaped, fringed. Flowers yellow, in simple, terminal, loose 
racemes, rather large and showy, expanding only in sunshine, and 
scarcely lasting a day. Bracteas spear-shaped, smooth, fringed, 
one at the base of each pedicel. Pedicels ( partial flower-stalks ) 
slender, hoary, various in direction, more reflexed as the fruit ad- 
vances to maturity. Calyx of 5 sepals, the 3 inner of which are 
egg-shaped and bluntish, with strong, green, bristly ribs, connected 
by a smooth, or scarcely at all downy, somewhat transparent, dotted 
membrane ; the two outer very small, spear-shaped, pointed, green, 
smooth, except their margins, which are fringed with numerous 
bristly hairs. Petals nearly circular, entire, yellow, with sometimes 
a fulvous base. Stamens numerous, irritable ; when touched they re- 
tire from the style, and lie down in a spreading form on the petals ; 
but this can be seen only in calm warm weather, and when the flowers 
have not been ruffled by insects, or otherwise disturbed. Germcn 
globose, downy. Capsule downy, with very narrow dissepiments, 
or imperfect partitions. Seeds several, rather large, egg-shaped, 
pointed, of a reddish-brown, or blackish colour. 
This sometimes, though very rarely, occurs with white flowers ; and also, occa- 
sionally, with rose-coloured ones. In gardens the flowers are sometimes double. 
Sir W. J. Hooker, and Dr. Withering, consider Cistus tomentosus and Cist us 
surrejanus of Smith, as varieties of the present species. The former differs in 
the leaves , flower-stalks, stipulas, and calyx, being much more hoary and downy 
than in the true species ; the latter in the petals being narrow, spear-shaped, and 
jagged. 
Mr. Curtis observes, that “though the present species cannot vie with those 
which are the produce of wavmer climates, yet it is one of the most ornamental of 
our native plants, and admirably well calculated to decorate a rock or dry bank, 
especially if its several varieties, with white, rose, and lemon-coloured flowers be 
intermixed. It is hardy, easily propagated either by seeds or cuttings, and con- 
tinues, for the greatest part of the Summer, to put forth daily a multitude of new 
blossoms.’’ 
The Natural Order CiSTi'NEA;,of which the present genus is the 
only British example, is composed of dicotyledonous shrubs or her- 
baceous plants with usually entire, opposite or alternate, stipulate 
or exstipulate leaves- The calyx consists of 5 unequal sepals, the 
3 inner of which are largest, and twisted in the bud. The corolla 
is 5-petalled, and twisted in the bud. The stamens numerous. The 
ovary distinct, and 1- or many-celled, with a thread-shaped style, 
and simple stigma. The capsule is of from 3 to 5, rarely 
10 valves. And the seeds are numerous ; with a spiral or curved 
embryo, in a mealy albumen . 
