Cistus laurifolius L. subsp atlanticus (Pit.) Sennen & Mauricius
Eng.: Laurel-leaved cistus. Spa.: Jara, estepa. Fre.: Ciste à feuilles de laurier. Ara.: Anziwet, ozyut, amziwet. Tam.: Irgel, mzriz, agellud.
Evergreen shrub, hermaphrodite, 0.5-1.5(2) m in height, irregular in shape, highly ramose, dark green, not viscous. Branches strong, upright, with a very characteristic bark, brown-reddish, that peels off into strips as it ages. Branchlets reddish. Leaves 2.5-6 × 1-2.2 cm, opposite, with a very characteristic petiole, widened at the base and sheathing the stem; leaves flat, ovate-lanceolate, acute, coriaceous, with smooth margin or, more frequently, undulate; dark green and glabrous on the upper side, whitish and tomentose on the underside; longitudinally transversed by 3-5 inconspicuous veins. Inflorescence umbelliform, terminal, with 2-7 flowers, usually accompanied by lateral and axillary inflorescences of 1-2 flowers. Flowers large, 5-7 cm in diameter, very large bracts, with the same shape as the leaves; pedicels and calyx tomentose. Calyx with 3 equal sepals, ovate-lanceolate. Petals 5, 20-30 × 15-28 mm, white with yellow base, although occasionally they have a purple macula at the base. Fruit in globose capsule, 9-12 mm, tomentose, which opens at maturity into (4)5 valves. Seeds rounded-polyhedral, with a verrucose surface in most of the North African populations. 2n = 18.
Flowering:
May to July.
Fruiting:
June to September.
Habitat:
Generally on silicate terrains, but it also thrives in decarbonate limestone soils, in medium and high mountains, from about (400)780-2,000 m. It is more frequent in places with a humid and subhumid bioclimate, although it can withstand slightly drier bioclimates, on mesomediterranean and supramediterranean floors.
Distribution:
Eastern and western Mediterranean region; it is absent from the central area. In North Africa it is only known from Morocco (High Atlas, Middle Atlas, Rif and Tellian Atlas).
Observations:
The subsp. atlanticus is the most common in Morocco, smaller in size, with smaller leaves and seeds with smaller verrucae compared to the European subspecies (subsp. laurifolius). However, in the mountains of Beni Snassen (eastern Morocco) there are numerous large specimens (1.5-1.8 m), with large leaves (up to 9 × 2.5 cm) and flowers with petals tinted with purple at the base.
Conservation status:
Common subspecies, that can become locally abundant. Currently, it has not been assessed at a global level in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.