Cistus salviifolius, common names sage-leaved rock-rose, salvia cistus or Gallipoli rose, is a shrub of the family Cistaceae.
Etymology The genus name Cistus derives from the Ancient Greek words () meaning basket, while the species name salviifolius refers the wrinkled leaves similar to those of the sage.
Description Cistus salviifolius has spreading stems covered by clumpy hairs. This bushy shrub reaches on average in height, with a maximum of . The oval-shaped green leaves are long, opposite, reticulate, tomentose on both sides, with a short petiole (2–4 mm).Pignatti S. - Flora d'Italia – Edagricole – 1982. Vol. II, pag. 122.
The inflorescence holds one or more round flowers, long-stalked, arranged at the leaf axils. The five white petals have a yellow spot at the base, forming a corolla in diameter. The stamens are also yellow and the anthers shed abundant yellow pollen. This plant is pollinated by insects (entomophily), especially by bees. The flowering period extends from April through May. The fruit is a pentagonal capsule, 5–7 mm long.
Phylogeny Cistus salviifolius belongs to the white and whitish pink flowered clade of Cistus species.
Gallery
Cultivation Cistus salviifolius cultivated in the nursery industry, and grown in gardens and public landscapes, often for its drought-tolerant and pollinator habitat attributes.
Distribution This showy wildflower is native to the Mediterranean region, in southern Europe and parts of Western Asia and North Africa.
Habitat This plant prefers dry hills, scrubland and open woodlands, at an altitude of above sea level. It regrows very quickly following a fire.
Synonyms
Cistus macrocalyx Sennen & Pau Cistus paui Sennen Cistus salomonis Sennen & Malag. Cistus salviifolius [β] macrocalyx Willk. Cistus salviifolius brevipedunculatus Willk. Cistus salviifolius longipedunculatus Willk. Cistus salviifolius [alfa] vulgaris Willk. Cistus salviifolius [delta] biflorus Willk. Cistus salviifolius [epsilon] cymosus Willk. Cistus salviifolius [gamma] grandifolius Willk. Cistus salviifolius var. fissipetalus Sennen Cistus salviifolius var. occidentalis Rouy & Foucaud Cistus salviifolius var. rierae Sennen Cistus salviifolius var. schizocalyx Sennen Cistus salviifolius L. Ledonia peduncularis var. salviifolia (L.) Spach Ledonia peduncularis SpachSynonyms in Anthos
Other synonyms reported by The Plant List include:
Cistus apricus Timb.-Lagr. Cistus arrigens Timb.-Lagr. Cistus elegans Timb.-Lagr.Timb.-Lagr. Rev. Bot. Bull. Mens. 10: 70 1892 Cistus fruticans Timb.-Lagr. Cistus humilis Timb.-Lagr. Cistus microphyllus Timb.-Lagr. Cistus platyphyllus Timb.-Lagr. Cistus rhodanensis Timb.-Lagr. Cistus sideritis C.Presl Cistus velutinus Timb.-Lagr.
Chemistry Cistus salviifolius contains flavan-3ols, oligomeric proanthocyanidinsAntioxidant oligomeric proanthocyanidins from Cistus salvifolius. Fadi Qa'dan, Frank Petereit, Kenza Mansoor and Adolf Nahrstedt, Natural Product Research, Volume 20, Issue 13, 2006, pages 1216-1224, and prodelphinidins such as epigallocatechin-3-O-(4-hydroxybenzoate), epigallocatechin-(4β→8)-epigallocatechin, epigallocatechin -3-O-gallate-(4β→8)-epigallocatechin, epigallocatechin-(4β→6)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate, 1-O-β-d -(6′-O-galloyl)-glucopyranosyl-3-methoxy-5-hydroxybenzene, epigallocatechin-(4β→8)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate, 1-O-β-d- glucopyranosyl-3-methoxy-5-hydroxybenzene and rhododendrin (betuloside).Flavan-3-ols, prodelphinidins and further polyphenols from Cistus salvifolius. Andreas Danne, Frank Petereit and Adolf Nahrstedt, Phytochemistry, 37, (2), 1994, Pages 533–538, It also contains ellagitannins of the punicalagin type.Simultaneous LC-DAD and LC-MS Determination of Ellagitannins, Flavonoid Glycosides, and Acyl-Glycosyl Flavonoids in Cistus salvifolius L. Leaves. E. Saracini, M. Tattini, M. L. Traversi, F. F. Vincieri and P. Pinelli, Chromatographia, Volume 62, Numbers 5-6, pages 245-249,
References
External links
Jepson Manual Treatment - Cistus salviifolius