Cistus × florentinus Lam.
[C. monspeliensis L. × C. salviifolius L.]
(Figs. 2; 3; 4)
Encyclopédie méthodique. Botanique 2: 17 (Lamarck 1786), pro sp.
TYPE MATERIAL. — Italy • Cet arbrisseau passe pour originaire d’Italie; s.d.; P.A. Micheli [s.n.]; lectotype: P-JU[P06986452]! (Fig. 2); designated by Demoly (1994: 76); probable isolectotypes: P [P06588439]! (Fig. 3), OXF [SHER-2748]! (Fig. 4). — Cistus × varius Pourr., Histoire et Mémoires de l’Académie royale des Sciences, Inscriptions et Belles Lettres de Toulouse 3: 312 (Pourret 1788), pro sp.; syn. nov. (see below).
REMARKS
Cistus florentinus was published as a new species by Lamarck (1786) in the second volume of the Encyclopédie méthodique, basing on plants preserved in the “Herbier de Lamarck” and the “Herbier Jussieu” (both at P), to which the author had access as “Garde des herbiers du cabinet du Roi” (Aymonin 1981; Ferrer-Gallego 2016).
The protologue of Cistus florentinus (Lamarck 1786: 17) includes a diagnosis: “18. Ciste de Florence, Cistus Florentinus. Cistus fruticosus exstipulatus, foliis angusto-lanceolatis rugosis subtus reticulatis subsessilibus, pedunculis villosis subtrifloris. N.”, followed by a mention of the Jussieu herbarium: “ Cistus ladanifera Florentina. Michael. D. Sherard. ex herb. Juss.”, and a detailed description in French, at the end of which it states: “Cet arbrisseau passe pour originaire d’Italie. Ђ. (v.s. in h. Juss.)” [This shrub is thought to have originated in Italy. Ђ symbol that indicates shrub or woody plant. (“v.s.” meaning “vue sèche”, it has been seen in a dry state from the Jussieu herbarium)].
In the handwritten catalogue “ Catalogue de l’herbier de Antoine Laurent de Jussieu 1868 ” (MNHN 1868: 543), it is noted under the genus Cistus 2514, with “Numéros d’ordre 12.647 / florentinus Lamk. / Localités et orige. ex. herb. Sherardi / Synonymes et noms mis postérieurement (à) Cistus italicus Pourr ”.
Braem (1995: 30) also noted the existence of a Cistus florentinus specimen in the Jussieu herbarium (Sheet Number 935/3); Aubin (1986: 135) and Demoly (1994: 76) also studied this specimen.
The Jussieu Herbarium is one of the “historical herbaria” of the Herbier du Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle in Paris (MNHN), which has provided an image at P06986452. On the cover of the folder is the handwritten annotation “23 C. florentinus Pourr. ” and inside is the sheet with the Jussieu herbarium label and five additional labels (Fig. 2).
1. “Muséum d’Histoire naturelle de Paris / Herbier d’Antoine Laurent de Jussieu / Donné au Muséum par les enfants d’Adrien de Jussieu en 1857. / Catal. Nº 12.647”. [printed label].
2. “ Cistus ladanifera, Florentina Michael / Sherard 1717”. [handwriting by Antoine de Jussieu].
3. “ Cistus italicus P. / (Pourret)” [signed by Pourret].
4. “ Cistus florentinus Lamark dict. / Ex Pourr. Fl. narbon. p. 16 accedit ad ejusdem C. varium.” [handwriting by Lamarck].
5. “ Stephanocarpus Monspeliensis Spach ”[handwriting by Spach].
6. “ C. florentinus Lam. (salvifolius × monspeliensis) Determinavit: Dansereau 5 XI 1938 ”. [modern label by Dansereau].
In addition to this specimen from the Jussieu herbarium, two other sheets have been located. The first is in the Herbier Vaillant (P06588439) with Label 1: “ Cistus ladanifera Florentina. Mich. Pl. Florent. nº. 46. / herbier de Vaillant” and Label 2: “ Cistus florentinus Lmk. Encycl. – 9” (Fig. 3). Another Sherard specimen exists in the Sherard Herbarium at OXF[SHER-2748]. It was annotated by William Sherard as “ Cistus ladanifera, Florentina. / Fl. Nº, 46.” (Fig. 4).
Both the Herbier Jussieu and Herbier Vaillant sheets feature the name “Michaeli” and the abbreviation “Mich.”, which undoubtedly refer to Pier Antonio Micheli, an Italian botanist and curator of the botanical garden in Florence. Micheli was a close associate of Sherard and Vaillant, with whom he exchanged plants (Dandy 1958; Stafleu & Cowan 1976 - 1988; Nepi 2009).
The English botanist William Sherard studied botany in Paris from 1686 to 1688 under Joseph Pitton de Tournefort (1656-1708) and in Leiden with Paul Hermann (1646-1695). He later founded a chair of botany at Oxford, which was later held by Johann Jacob Dillenius (1684-1747). Sherard’s herbarium, library and manuscripts are preserved at OXF, with additional material stored at E, P-JU, and in the Sloane Herbarium (BM) (Stafleu & Cowan 1976 -1988). Sherard travelled extensively throughout Europe, meeting Micheli in Florence in 1697 (Ramsbottom 1957; Jarvis 2016), and visiting his teacher and friend, Tournefort. In May 1721, he visited Vaillant in Paris (Jackson 1874).
The sheet from the Jussieu herbarium (Fig. 2) contains a specimen with inflorescences, whereas the sheets from the Vaillant herbarium (Fig.3) and the Sherard herbarium (Fig. 4) contain fragments, one with inflorescences and another in a vegetative state. Based on their morphological features and stage of anthesis, these three sheets might correspond to a single gathering. The specimen from the Jussieu herbarium sheet (P06986452) matches both the vegetative and floral characteristics described by Lamarck. Furthermore, the sheet has a manuscript label from Lamarck and the phrase of the protologue “ Cistus ladanifera Florentina. Michael. D. Sherard. ex herb. Juss.”, is identical to label 2, confirming that it is the specimen used by Lamarck. It is undoubtedly a syntype of C. florentinus Lam. and was indicated as the type of the name by Demoly (1994: 76). The other two specimens can be considered probable duplicates.
Publication Date: 2026-06-12