Cistus ocreatus

Cistus ocreatus has ovate leaves with three main veins and a short stalk (petiole). The flowers are purple, with styles longer than the stamens.[3] It resembles Cistus symphytifolius, but has smaller flowers,[4] and its leaves have a whitish appearance due to a covering of fine hairs.[2]

The name Cistus ocreatus originates from Christen Smith,[5] who collected plants in the Canary Islands. Smith died in 1816.[6] In 1819 (i.e. after Smith's death), the name and description were published by Christian Leopold von Buch, attributed to "Dr Smith's notes".[7] Smith differentiated C. ocreatus from Cistus symphytifolius (which he called C. vaginatus), noting that it had smaller flowers.[4]

The specific epithet ocreatus derives from the Latin noun ocrea, "greave",[8] plus the ending -atus, "possessing or resembling".[9] Although the noun may also be spelt ochrea,[8] the spelling ocreatus was used by Buch in publishing Smith's notes.[7]

An alternative name for the taxon derives ultimately from Édouard Spach, who in 1836 published a description of Rhodocistus berthelotianus,[10] including variety leucophyllus. Rhodocistus berthelotianus was later synonymized with Cistus symphytifolius, and Günther Kunkel transferred the variety as the subspecies C. symphytifolius subsp. leucophyllus.[11] Smith's name Cistus ocreatus is considered to be a synonym of C. symphytifolius or its subspecies leucophyllus by some sources;[5][2] others accept it as an independent species.[12][13]

A 2011 molecular phylogenetic study placed C. ocreatus as a member of the purple and pink flowered clade (PPC) of Cistus species, along with some other Canary Island endemics (Cistus asper, Cistus chinamadensis, Cistus horrens, and Cistus symphytifolius).[13]

Cistus ocreatus is endemic to Gran Canaria,[13] where it is found in pine forests at altitudes of 860–1,400 metres (2,820–4,590 ft), in a climate described as "subhumid" and "temperate-warm".[3]