Resinous Rock Rose (Cistus ladanifer)

This bush appears behind the old cement railroad loading platform at Double Bow Knot, on the south side of Mt. Tamalais.  DS says this is a waif – a term for an established plant that isn’t found anywhere else in an ecosystem.  I’m guessing that this was planted for decoration at the train stop that operated in the early 1900s.

January

 

 

April

 

 

July

 

 

October

 

 

White flowers

 

 

Field ID Tips

·  Blooms April and May

·  White flower with very thin petals, 3” to 4” across.

·  Distinctive wavy edge on leaf.

 

Rock Rose-Cistus sp.-Apr 21 2012 Mt Tam

 

Rock Rose-8-Cistus sp.-Apr 21 2012 Mt Tam-3

 

Links:

Calphotos

Wikipedia

Mountain Home to West Point Flowers

 

Rock Rose-7-Cistus sp.-Apr 21 2012 Mt Tam-2

This photo taken April 21 2012 at the Double Bow Knot on Railroad Grade.

 

Rock Rose-8-Cistus sp.-Apr 21 2012 Mt Tam

Notice the curled-in wavy edges of the leaves.