A Brief Encounter with Cistaceae

In 1975 for my MSc dissertation I decided to evaluate the taxonomic significance of seed coat morphology of Cistaceae. The Cistaceae is a small shrubby Mediterranean family of rock-roses. I had observed the rocks and roses (Rosa : Rosaceae) but not rock-roses. It was a very brief encounter because I only procured the seeds from the herbarium specimens lodged in the Herbarium, Plant Science Labs, University of Reading, and subjected them to light microscopic and SEMicrocopic observation of the seed coat or testa ornamentation. The genera involved were Cistus, Halimium, Helianthemum, Fumana and Turberaria. This study did not last long since then I did not revisit the family.