in botany, a genus of the polyandria monogynia clas. The corolla consists of five petals, and the calyx of five leaves, two of them being less than the other two. The species are 37, and only five of them natives of Britain, viz. the guttulus, or annual cistus; the helianthemum, or dwarf cistus, or sun-flower; the furcatus, or narrow-leaved cistus; the poli-folius, or mountain dwarf cistus; and the hirsutus, or hoary dwarf cistus.