Gum rockrose
Encyclopedia
Cistus ladanifer is a species
of flowering plant
in the family
Cistaceae
. It is a native of the western Mediterranean region. It is indigenous to Spain
, Portugal
and north-west Africa
. Common names include Gum Rockrose, Ladanum, Gum Ladanum and Brown-eyed Rockrose.
It is a shrub
growing 1-2.5 m tall and wide. The leaves
are evergreen
, lanceolate, 3–10 cm long and 1–2 cm broad, dark green above and paler underneath. The flower
s are 5–8 cm diameter, with 5 papery white petals, usually with a red to maroon spot at the base, surrounding the yellow stamens and pistils. The whole plant is covered with the sticky exudate of fragrant resin
.
C. ladanifer is particularly well suited to the Continentalized Mediterranean climate, standing both long summer droughts and cold weather. It is an extremely aggressive plant which has taken over much of former farmland and grasslands in the mountain regions of central Spain. In Spanish it is known as Jara pringosa meaning "sticky shrub". C. ladanifer has been found to have mycorrhizal associations with Boletus edulis
, Boletus rhodoxanthus
, and Laccaria laccata
.
lineage. The wide distribution and morphological variation of C. ladanifer across northern Africa, the Iberian peninsula
, and southern France
has resulted in the recognition of three sub-species: subspp. ladanifer, sulcatus, and africanus.
Phylogenetic and divergence dating methods found that C. ladanifer diverged during the Pleistocene
, long after the opening of the Strait of Gibraltar
around 5 mya, which supports a hypothesis of dispersal
for this species. Although its seeds fall close to the maternal plant, C. ladanifer may have successfully dispersed due to its preference for disturbed habitats.
, grown for its strongly resin
-scented foliage and conspicuous flowers. Its leaves yield a fragrant oleoresin known as labdanum
, used in perfumes, especially as a fixative
.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of flowering plant
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
in the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Cistaceae
Cistaceae
The Cistaceae is a small family of plants known for its beautiful shrubs, which are profusely covered by flowers at the time of blossom...
. It is a native of the western Mediterranean region. It is indigenous to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
and north-west Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. Common names include Gum Rockrose, Ladanum, Gum Ladanum and Brown-eyed Rockrose.
It is a shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
growing 1-2.5 m tall and wide. The leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are evergreen
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
, lanceolate, 3–10 cm long and 1–2 cm broad, dark green above and paler underneath. The flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s are 5–8 cm diameter, with 5 papery white petals, usually with a red to maroon spot at the base, surrounding the yellow stamens and pistils. The whole plant is covered with the sticky exudate of fragrant resin
Resin
Resin in the most specific use of the term is a hydrocarbon secretion of many plants, particularly coniferous trees. Resins are valued for their chemical properties and associated uses, such as the production of varnishes, adhesives, and food glazing agents; as an important source of raw materials...
.
C. ladanifer is particularly well suited to the Continentalized Mediterranean climate, standing both long summer droughts and cold weather. It is an extremely aggressive plant which has taken over much of former farmland and grasslands in the mountain regions of central Spain. In Spanish it is known as Jara pringosa meaning "sticky shrub". C. ladanifer has been found to have mycorrhizal associations with Boletus edulis
Boletus edulis
Boletus edulis, commonly known as penny bun, porcino or cep, is a basidiomycete fungus, and the type species of the genus Boletus. Widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere across Europe, Asia, and North America, it does not occur naturally in the Southern Hemisphere, although it has been...
, Boletus rhodoxanthus
Boletus rhodoxanthus
Boletus rhodoxanthus is a fungus of the genus Boletus. It is a rare, inedible bolete found in warm deciduous forests of southern Europe mainly under oak and beech, on chalky soil.-Description:...
, and Laccaria laccata
Laccaria laccata
Laccaria laccata, commonly known as the deceiver, or waxy laccaria, is a white-spored species of small edible mushroom found throughout North America and Europe. It is a highly variable mushroom , and can look quite washed out, colorless and drab, but when younger it often assumes red, pinkish...
.
Systematics and phylogeography
C. ladanifer is placed within the C. salvifolius group within the white-flowered CistusCistus
Cistus is a genus of flowering plants in the rockrose family Cistaceae, containing about 20 species . They are perennial shrubs found on dry or rocky soils throughout the Mediterranean region, from Morocco and Portugal through to the Middle East, and also on the Canary Islands...
lineage. The wide distribution and morphological variation of C. ladanifer across northern Africa, the Iberian peninsula
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
, and southern France
Southern France
Southern France , colloquially known as le Midi is defined geographical area consisting of the regions of France that border the Atlantic Ocean south of the Gironde, Spain, the Mediterranean, and Italy...
has resulted in the recognition of three sub-species: subspp. ladanifer, sulcatus, and africanus.
Phylogenetic and divergence dating methods found that C. ladanifer diverged during the Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
, long after the opening of the Strait of Gibraltar
Strait of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain in Europe from Morocco in Africa. The name comes from Gibraltar, which in turn originates from the Arabic Jebel Tariq , albeit the Arab name for the Strait is Bab el-Zakat or...
around 5 mya, which supports a hypothesis of dispersal
Biological dispersal
Biological dispersal refers to species movement away from an existing population or away from the parent organism. Through simply moving from one habitat patch to another, the dispersal of an individual has consequences not only for individual fitness, but also for population dynamics, population...
for this species. Although its seeds fall close to the maternal plant, C. ladanifer may have successfully dispersed due to its preference for disturbed habitats.
Uses
It is a popular ornamental plantOrnamental plant
Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...
, grown for its strongly resin
Resin
Resin in the most specific use of the term is a hydrocarbon secretion of many plants, particularly coniferous trees. Resins are valued for their chemical properties and associated uses, such as the production of varnishes, adhesives, and food glazing agents; as an important source of raw materials...
-scented foliage and conspicuous flowers. Its leaves yield a fragrant oleoresin known as labdanum
Labdanum
Labdanum is a sticky brown resin obtained from the shrubs Cistus ladanifer and Cistus creticus , species of rockrose. It has a long history of use in herbal medicine and as a perfume ingredient.-History:...
, used in perfumes, especially as a fixative
Fixative
A fixative is a stabilizing or preservative agent:*Fixative , a liquid usually sprayed over a finished piece of artwork to better preserve it and prevent smudging...
.