Cistus albidus L.
Eng.: Grey-leaved cistus. Spa.: Jara blanca, estepa blanca, jaguarzo blanco. Fre.: Ciste blanchâtre. Ara.: Altaï, ataï, buchikh, tinghucht. Tam.: Tuzzalt, tuzzala.
Evergreen shrub (in extremely dry periods all or most leaves can fall), hermaphrodite, up to 1(1.5) m in height, highly ramose, whitish in overall appearance due to the characteristic tomentum that covers it. Stems with greyish bark and young branchlets with numerous stellate hairs and some simple hairs. Leaves 1.5-6.5 × 0.5-2.5 cm, opposite, ± ovate or elliptical, flat, sometimes with somewhat revolute margin, sessile, subamplexicaul, densely tomentose-whitish, covered with stellate hairs on both sides, and also with simple hairs on the upper side. Flowers relatively large, 4-7 cm in diameter, with long pedicel (0.5-3 cm), terminal, solitary or grouped. Sepals 5, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, all ± equal, densely covered with stellate hairs. Petals 5, 15-30 × 15-20 mm, pinkish-purple, with yellow base, 2-3 times longer than the sepals. Fruit an ovoid capsule 7-13 mm long, hairy, which opens into 5 valves when mature. Seeds numerous, ± tetrahedral and with almost smooth surface. 2n = 18
Flowering:
February to June.
Fruiting:
From late spring up to well into summer.
Habitat:
All types of terrain, from the near sea level to 1,300 m, in areas typical of Mediterranean forest and thicket. From semiarid to humid bioclimate, on thermomediterranean and mesomediterranean floors. It can tolerate frosts if they are not very intense or recurring.
Distribution:
Western Mediterranean region. In North Africa, from the Constantine region to the Atlantic coast of the N of Morocco.
Conservation status:
Common species and even locally abundant. Currently, it has not been assessed at a global level in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.