Cistus monspeliensis L.
Eng.: Cistus narrow leaf, Montpellier cistus, Montpellier rock-rose. Spa.: Jaguarzo negro, jara negra, estepa negra. Fre.: Ciste de Montpellier. Ara.: Um aliya, tama itibt. Tam.: Tamechttibt, irgel.
Semi-evergreen shrub (in the driest areas or in especially dry years, all leaves may fall off in the summer), hermaphrodite, 0.5-2 m in height, deep green, highly viscous and with a balsamic odour. Stems with brownish or greyish bark. Branchlets covered with long hairs, not very dense (hirsute). Leaves 1.5-7 × 0.2-1.3 cm, opposite, subsessile, slightly coriaceous, linear-lanceolate to narrowly elliptical, with revolute margin; with 3 clearly marked longitudinal veins; deep green on the upper side with some simple applied hairs, lighter on the underside, densely villous, with numerous stellate hairs. Inflorescences in scorpioid cymes of 2-9 flowers, very characteristic of this species. Flowers relatively small, 2-3.5 cm in diameter, with 5-14 mm pedicel, hirsute, the same length as the sepals. Sepals 5, subequal in shape and size, 5-14 × 3-8 mm, densely villous. Petals 5, 9-14 × 6-10 mm, white. Fruit in capsule (3-5 mm), hidden by the sepals, which opens in 5 valves. Seeds numerous, polyhedral, with reticulated-rugose surface. 2n = 18.
Flowering:
April to June.
Fruiting:
May to August.
Habitat:
Usually silicate or decarbonised terrains, with little lime, but it is not a strictly calcifuge species, from sea level to 1,400 m. From dry to humid bioclimate, on thermomediterranean to supramediterranean floors. Sometimes it forms extensive thickets as a stage of degradation of holm, cork and Portuguese oak forests.
Distribution:
Mediterranean and Macaronesian regions. In North Africa it is quite common throughout the decalcified and less dry Mediterranean area, from Morocco to Tunisia.
Conservation status:
Common species that can become locally abundant. Currently, it has not been assessed at a global level in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.