BRITISH WILD FLOWERS. 
61 
CHAPTER VIII. 
THE ROCK-ROSE FAMILY. (Cistineas, Juss.) 
Character op the Order. —Sepals five, continuous with the pedi¬ 
cel, persistent, unequal ; the three inner with a twisted sestivation. 
Petals five, hypogynous, very fugitive, twisted in aestivation in a direc¬ 
tion contrary to that of the sepals. Stamens indefinite in number, 
hypogynous, distinct; anthers innate. Ovarium distinct, one or many- 
celled ; ovula with a foramen at their apex ; stylo single; stigma 
simple. Fruit capsular, usually three or five-valved, occasionally ten- 
valved, either one-celled, with parietal placentas in the axis of the 
valves, or imperfectly five or ten-celled, with dissepiments proceeding 
from the middle of the valves, and approaching each other in the centre. 
Seeds indefinite in number. Embryo inverted, either spiral or curved, 
in the midst of mealy albumen. Shrubs or herbaceous plants. 
Branches often viscid. Leaves usually entire, opposite or alternate, 
stipulate or exstipulate. Racemes usually unilateral. ( Lindley .) 
Description, &c. —There is but one genus in this order, which contains British plants. Those which were 
called Cistus by Linnaeus being now placed in the genus Helianthemum. 
GENUS I. 
THE SUN-CISTUS, OR ROCK-ROSE. (Helianthemum, Tourn.) 
Lin. Syst. POLYANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Generic Character —Sepals three, equal, with two occasional external ones. Petals five. Stigma capitate. , Style either wanting or present. 
Capsule of three valves. Trailing half shrubby plants. ( Lindley.) 
Description, &c. —The genus Helianthemum has been separated from Cistus, on account of its capsule, 
which is triangular and one-celled, opening into three valves; whereas the capsule of the Cistus has five or ten 
valves. The name of Helianthemum signifies literally Sun-flower, because the flowers only expand in sunshine, 
and are said to follow the course of the sun ; a peculiarity attributed by poets to the annual Sun-flower of our 
gardens, but which that plant really does not possess. This plant is placed in the Linnsean class Polyandria, 
because it has numerous stamens; and in the order Monogynia, on account of its single seed-vessel. 
1—THE COMMON CISTUS. 
Synonymes. — Cistus Llelianthemum, Lin. ; C. tomentosus, 
Smith ; the common Sun-Rose ; the Sun-Cistus. 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot., t. 1321 ; 2nd ed., t. 760 ; and owe fig. 1, 
in PI. 14. 
(Helianthemum vulgare, Gcertner.) 
Specific Character. —Leaves opposite, ovate or oblong, nearly fiat, 
green on the upper surface. Racemes terminal, with bractes. Sepals 
five, the inner furrowed and scarious at the edge. Style bent at the 
base, somewhat clavate at the apex. Seeds black. ( Bentham .) 
Description, &c.—This is a most elegant little shrub, which grows wild on banks in various parts of 
England; but generally either in a calcareous or gravelly soil. Its blossoms, which appear in July and August, 
are very abundant and extremely beautiful, though, unfortunately, their beauty is very short-lived, as they 
generally drop their petals in a few hours. The plants, however, continue producing a succession of flowers for 
a considerable time, as there is seldom more than one expanded at a time on each raceme. The stamens, when 
touched with a pin, spring back from the style and spread themselves out on the petals. 
Frail plant! whose early buds display 
Their beauties to the opening day, 
But fade with its declining ray, 
To bloom no more. 
Fresh buds the morning will bestow. 
The cheering sun again will glow, 
And gentle zephyrs round thee blow, 
With good in store. 
Thus when we see our hopes decay, 
And fade with fortune’s feeble ray, 
Sinking with premature decay, 
To rise no more— 
We turn from what vain mortals prize, 
And leaving useless tears and sighs, 
We raise our hopes beyond the skies, 
For good in store.”— Anon. 
