(n)small shrubs of scrub and dry woodland regions of southern Europe and North Africa; grown for their showy flowers and soft often downy and aromatic evergreen foliage, Syn.rock rose
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English (GCIDE) v.0.53Collaborative International Dictionary (GCIDE)
n. (Bot.) A name given to any species of the genus Helianthemum, low shrubs or herbs with yellow flowers, especially the European Helianthemum vulgare and the American frostweed, Helianthemum Canadense. [ 1913 Webster ]
Cretan rockrose, a related shrub (Cistus Creticus), one of the plants yielding the fragrant gum called ladanum. [ 1913 Webster ]