Image of Cistus creticus L.

Description:

Slo.: kretiki brkin - Habitat: dry, low hill garrigue; almost flat terrain; next to a path; full sun, calcareous, rocky ground; elevation 48 m (160 feet); average precipitations ~ 1.000 mm/year, average temperature 13-15 deg C, Mediterranean phytogeographical region. Substratum: soil among rocks. Comment: Cistus creticus is a showy plant. Its beautifully purplish-pink colored flowers have up to 6 cm in diameter. Petals are rather crumpled but this makes the flowers even tenderer. Many species with white, pink to purple flowers of the genus Cistus are ornamental and grown in gardens. The genus is typical for Mediterranean region and many species, subspecies and varieties have been described, some endemic on smaller Mediterranean regions or islands. To tell them apart is not always easy since the plants are variable. Cistus creticus can be recognized by its leaves. Their veins form a kind of messy pattern. There are no distinct three or five main veins starting at the base of the leaves pointing toward their tip, like in most other species. The veins are impressed above. Ssp. creticus has wavy edges of the leaves. Also five, oval long-pointed sepals are characteristic. The plant is grayish hairy and some hairs are usually star-like. Rocky garrigue and low maquis of Adriatic islands often display very beautiful vistas when there is enough rain and this and other pink and white blooming species of Cistus are in full bloom. Ref.: (1) I. Schnfelder, P. Schnfelder, Kosmos Atlas Mittelmeer- und Kanarenflora, Kosmos, (2002), p 124. (2) M. Blamey, C. Grey-Wilson, Wild Flowers of the Mediterranean, A & C Black, London (2005), p 140. (3) R. Domac, Flora Hrvatske (Flora of Croatia) (in Croatian), kolska Knjiga, Zagreb (1994), p 132. (4) D. Seidel, Blumen am Mittelmeer, BLV (2002), p 143. (5) I. Schnfelder, P. Schnfelder, Was blht am Mittelmeer? Kosmos (2000), p 166.