Cistus-salvifolius_2

Description:

Cistus salviifolius L., syn.: Cistus fruticans Timb.-Lagr.Family: Cistaceae Juss.EN: Sage-leaved Rockrose, Salvia Cistus, Gallipoli Rose, DE: Salbeiblttrige ZistroseSlo.: kaduljelistni brkin1.Dat.: April 25. 2006 and April 26. 2006Lat.: 44.36009 Long.: 14.77670 asl 38 m (125 feet)Code: Bot_0116/2006_DSC0189 and Bot_0117/2006_DSC_0258 Place: Adriatic Sea, Zadar archipelago, island Olib; at about 2/3 of the distance from village Olib to the church St. Nikola, Zadar region, Croatia EC.and2.Dat.: April 28. 2006 Lat.: 44.35844 Long.: 14.79300 asl 58 m (190 feet)Code: Bot_0118/2006_DSC_0306 Place: Adriatic Sea, Zadar archipelago, island Olib, halfway from village Olib to South Slatina bay, Zadar region, Croatia EC._____Habitat: Road side, next to a stony dry-wall delimiting (mostly abandoned) fields; almost flat terrain; calcareous, stony ground; open, sunny and dry place; average precipitations ~ 1.000 mm/year, average temperature 13-15 deg C, Sub-Mediterranean phytogeographical region.Substratum: red karst soil.Comment (pertains to pictures in the Flickr album Cistus salviifolius): This showy wildflower is native to the Mediterranean region, southern Europe, parts of Western Asia and parts of North Africa. If it particularly beautiful when it grows mixed with similar Cistus creticus L. = Cistus incanus L. ssp. creticus (L.) Heyw.. Both species bloom approximately at the same time in spring and both have very similar habit, namely low bush with dark green appearance. Cistus creticus has somewhat larger flowers and they are vividly pink. Both taxa form sometimes extensive stands and, when in bloom they display wonderful, typically Mediterranean, vistas. On east Adriatic shores and islands there exists a third similar species of this genus Cistus monspeliensis L. It has white flowers similar to Cistus salviifolius. Yet, both can be easily separated by the shape of their leaves. Cistus monspeliensis has narrow, unstalked, narrow elliptic to linear-lanceolate leaves while Cistus salviifolius leaves are broad, stalked, egg-shaped, oval or broadly elliptical.Ref.:(1) A. Martini et all., Mala Flora Slovenije (Flora of Slovenia - Key) (in Slovenian), Tehnina Zaloba Slovenije (2007), p 423. (2) M. Blamey, C. Grey-Wilson, Wild Flowers of the Mediterranean, A & C Black, London (2005), p 141.(3) I. Schnfelder, P. Schnfelder, Kosmos Atlas Mittelmeer- und Kanarenflora, Kosmos, (2002), p 126.(4) W.K. Rottensteiner, Exkursionsflora fr Istrien, Verlag des Naturwissenschaftlichen Vereins Krten (2014), p 386.