The Cistaceae are a small family of plants (the rock-rose or rockrose family), mostly shrubs, which are profusely covered by flowers in the spring and summer. This family consists of about 170-200 species in eight genera
Recently the neotropical species Pakaraimaea dipterocarpacea, formerly placed in the family Dipterocarpaceae, has been placed in the Cistaceae, following APG IV (2016). It has also been suggested that it might be better treated in its own monotypic family.
Ecology
thumb|180px|left|[[Cistus × purpureus orchid rock rose]]
The ability of Cistaceae to thrive in many Mediterranean habitats follows from two important ecological properties: mycorrhizal ability and fast renewal after wildfire.
Most Cistaceae have the ability to create symbiotic relationship with root fungi of the genus Tuber. In this relationship, the fungus complements the root system in its task of absorbing water and minerals from the soil, and thus allows the host plant to dwell on particularly poor soils. In addition, an interesting quality of T. melanosporum is its ability to kill all vegetation except the host plant within the reach of its mycelium, and thus to give its host some sort of "exclusiveness" for the adjacent land area.
Systematics
Molecular analyses of angiosperms have placed Cistaceae within the Malvales, forming a clade with two families of tropical trees, Dipterocarpaceae and Sarcolaenaceae. Recent phylogenetic studies confirm the monophyly of Cistaceae on the basis of plastid sequences and morphological synapomorphies.
Within Cistaceae, eight genera are recognised, including four in the Mediterranean (Cistus, Fumana, Helianthemum, Tuberaria), three in the temperate regions of North America (Crocanthemum, Hudsonia, Lechea), and one in tropical South America (Pakaraimaea). a kind of alternative medicine promoted for its effect on health. However, according to Cancer Research UK, "there is no scientific evidence to prove that flower remedies can control, cure or prevent any type of disease, including cancer".
Synonymous genera
These generic names inside Cistaceae were defined in various publications, but their members were synonymised with the eight accepted genera by later research.
- Anthelis
- Aphananthemum
- Atlanthemum
- Fumanopsis
- Halimium
- Helianthemon
- Hemiptelea
- Heteromeris
- Horanthes
- Horanthus
- Ladanium
- Ladanum
- Lecheoides
- Lechidium
- Ledonia
- Libanotis
- Planera
- Platonia
- Pomelina
- Psistina
- Psistus
- Rhodax
- Rhodocistus
- Stegitris
- Stephanocarpus
- Strobon
- Taeniostema
- Therocistus
- Trichasterophyllum
- Xolantha
- Xolanthes
Fossil record
†Cistinocarpum roemeri, a middle Oligocene macrofossil from Germany is described as an ancestor of extant Cistaceae. Tuberaria fossil pollen have been found in Pliocene formations of Germany.