Cistus monspeliensis
Cistus monspeliensis is a species of rockrose known by the common name Montpellier cistus. It is native to southern Europe and northern Africa, in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub ecosystems of matorral—maquis shrublands.Description
Cistus monspeliensis is a shrub with evergreen leaves and a hairy, glandular, sticky texture. The leaves are linear to lance-shaped, green, wrinkly, and up to 5 centimeters long.
The inflorescence is generally a panicle of 2 to 8 flowers, each with five sepals and white petals.
The plant has been reported elsewhere as an introduced species, and in California as an invasive species.Phylogeny
Cistus monspeliensis belongs to the white and whitish pink flowered clade of Cistus species.
