Cistaceae

Rock Roses

Shrubs or occasionally herbs. Leaves mostly simple, opposite, frequently with glands, hairs or both; stipules often present. Flowers bisexual, regular, solitary or in clusters, showy, short-lasting. Sepals 5(3) (2 often smaller than the others), free. Petals 5(3,0), mostly white or dark pink to magenta or purplish and with a yellow or dark blotch at the base, crumpled in bud, free. Stamens mostly numerous, free. Carpels (3)5-20 fused together. Ovary superior, with a single chamber containing 2-many ovules with parietal placentation; style 1. Fruit a capsule splitting lengthwise with 5 or 10 valves.

Tuberaria lignosa (Sw.) Samp. from the Western Mediterranean is occasionally offered; this genus differs from others in the family by having a rosette of basal leaves and a stalkless stigma; the flowers of this species are yellow and about 3 cm wide with unspotted petals.

The fragrant resin laudanum is used in perfumery and cosmetics and was also once used in medicine.

Delicate often crinkled flowers; carpels many, fused with parietal ovule placentation, a single chamber and a single style.

7 genera with about 175 species from temperate and warm temperate zones, mostly dry, sunny areas of the Mediterranean.

Source: Spencer, R. (1997). Cistaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 2. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 1. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.

Hero image
kingdom Plantae
phylum   Tracheophyta
class    Magnoliopsida
superorder     Rosanae
order      Malvales
Higher taxa
Subordinate taxa
genus        Cistus L.
genus        Halimium (Dunal) Spach
genus        Helianthemum Mill.