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Trees- ShrubsNarrow Leaved Cistus (Cistus monspeliensis)
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Cistus monspeliensis belongs to the family of Cistaceae (1). It is a dense shrub that is approximately one meter in height and grows ventrally. All the old branches are completely bare and they have a dark red or brown colour, while the new ones have rough and dense hair. Its leaves are simple, lanceolate in shape, stalk-less and opposite. The flowers have five petals and groups of three to 10 flowers form dense, wavy clusters (2). The fruit of C. monspeliensis is called capsula and it is almost round and has a dark brown colour (1). All the species that belong to the genus Cistus are aromatic and resiniferous plants that excrete oils and are covered with hair (3).
It is native plant that blooms from April through to June.
It is found in rocky and dry regions with maquis shrubland (1) or on limestone cliffs. Generally it is found across the Mediterranean countries.
The genus Cistus is associated with all the Mediterranean countries (1) and of America. In Greece it is mostly found in Attica, Chalkidiki and in Crete (2).
It is not mentioned on the IUCN Red List (4).
Description translated by Anna Theodoridou (2009)
(1) Γ.Π. Σαρλής, (1999), Συστηματική Βοτανική-Εφαρμογές Κορμοφύτων, εκδ. Σταμούλη.
(2) Θ.Ι. Αραμπατζής, (2001), Θάμνοι Και Δέντρα Στην Ελλάδα-Τόμος ΙΙ, ΤΕΙ Καβάλας.
(3) Γ. Σφήκας, (1999), Αγριολούλουδα της Κρήτης, εκδ. Εfstathiadis Group.
(4) IUCN (2009) IUCN Red List of Threatened Species [online] Available:
http://www.iucnredlist.org [date accessed: 06/08/2009]
