CISTUS LUSITAN'ICUS. 
LUSITANIAN CISTUS. 
Order. 
MONOCYNIA. 
Natural Order. 
CISTINACE^. 
Native of 
Height. 
Flowers in 
Habit. 
Introduced 
S. Europe. 
3 feet. 
August. 
Shrub. 
before 1830. 
No. 649. 
The name, Cistus, has been handed down to us 
from the Greeks, who, it is believed, founded it on 
their word kise, signifying a box; and applied it 
to their plant from the shape of its seed-vessel . Lu- 
sitanicus from Lusitania, the ancient name of a por- 
tion of Spain, and the native country of the plant 
under consideration. 
This species of Cistus is of late introduction, and 
must not be confounded with the common Gum 
Cistus of our gardens, which is both a larger and a 
hardier species. 
Few more beautiful objects are seen in the shrub- 
berry than the various species of this showy genus. 
The daily produce and decay of their flowers is 
little less than a wonder, even where all is wonder- 
ful. They rise like the sun itself, decked in brilli- 
ancy to cheer every beholder ; and their brightness 
gradually fades but to return again with morning. 
On dry elevated rock-work, this plant will sur- 
vive severe winters, still it will be safest to protect 
young plants in the frame, which may be readily 
propagated from cuttings of the young wood. It 
prefers a light loamy soil. 
163 
Class. 
POLYANDRIA. 
