Cistus creticus
# Cistus creticus

Cistus creticus (pink rock-rose, hoary rock-rose) is a species of shrubby plant in the family Cistaceae. Though it usually has pink flowers, of 4.5–5 cm diameter, this species is very variable. It is widely known as a decorative plant. It is frequently called "Cistus incanus". (The true Cistus × incanus is the hybrid C. albidus × C. crispus.)

## Taxonomy

The name Cistus creticus was first used by Carl Linnaeus in 1762. Confusion exists between this name and one published earlier by Linnaeus, Cistus incanus. As used by many authors, but not Linnaeus, the name "C. incanus" is taken to refer to Cistus creticus, particularly C. creticus subsp. eriocephalus.

### Subtaxa

* Cistus creticus subsp. creticus
* Cistus creticus subsp. corsicus (syn. Cistus × incanus subsp. corsicus)
* Cistus creticus subsp. eriocephalus
* Cistus creticus f. albus

There are also several well-known cultivars, such as 'Lasithi' with compact, rounded flowers.

## Phylogeny

Cistus creticus belongs to the clade of species with purple and pink flowers (the "purple pink clade" or PPC), in a subclade with C. heterophyllus and C. albidus.

Species-level cladogram of Cistus species. :

| Halimium spp.    PPC     Cistus crispus       Cistus asper   Cistus chinamadensis   Cistus horrens   Cistus ocreatus   Cistus osbeckiifolius   Cistus palmensis   Cistus symphytifolius     Cistus heterophyllus     Cistus albidus   Cistus creticus   Halimium spp.   WWPC       Cistus clusii   Cistus munbyi     Cistus inflatus   Cistus ladanifer   Cistus laurifolius   Cistus libanotis   Cistus monspeliensis   Cistus parviflorus   Cistus populifolius   Cistus pouzolzii   Cistus salviifolius   Cistus sintenisii | Purple Pink Clade  White Whitish Pink Clade |
| - | - |

Species-level cladogram of Cistus species, based on plastid and nuclear DNA sequences. :

