Second prodtuct from Cistus Creticus: cistus Incanus Tea.

Cistus Creticus or Cistus Incanus

The most unique feature of this plant is its richness of polyphenols whose extraordinary abundance in the pink Rockrose has popularized it as a valuable food supplement used in teas, taken alone and even incorporate in boutique health foods where its age old reputation of supporting the immune system and therefore assisting naturally with reisistance to and recovery from common colds and flu. Pink Rockrose polyphenols contain large proportions of the now famous ‘Proanthenols’.

What are Polyphenols?
Certain plant compounds containing groups of ‘phenols’ and which also contain certain antioxidant characteristics. They are very powerful antioxidants, present in several different botanicals. Polyphenols are now known to be the called the ‘Vitamins of the 21st Century’. Some of them are referred to ‘OPC’s’,‘Proanthenols’, Proanthocynanidis’. Super-antioxidants, also known as proanthocyanidins, pycnogenols, or OPCs, fit into this category. Research indicates that a class of polyphenols has antioxidant characteristics with potential health benefits. Like vitamins, they play a central part in our health

Where else do you find Polyphenols?
Polyphenols can be found in fruit, vegetables, red wine, green tea but the highest concentration of Polyphenols is only found in the CISTUS INCANUS.

What are antioxidants?
Antioxidants is a word frequently used in the media but does anyone really know what it is? Here is a simple, illustrated definition that while based on science is not in the usual scientific terminology that few of us understand.

Antioxidants are a classification of several organic substances, period. Antioxidants are substances that protect cells from being damaged by oxidation which is a chemical reaction. Antioxidants can help the body protect itself against free radicals.

Benefits of Cistus Incanus / Polyphenols
The Cistus Incanus has the age old reputation for supporting the immune system. Giving our immune system an enourmous boost as a food supplement. They support the body-own defense and immune system.

More Polyphenols?

Which Cistus Incanus do has more Polyphenols?

Cistus Incanus prodtuct labdanum.

Where ?

Northen Crete. The place that collect labdanum wuth tradisional way.

When ?

Sunmmer (May - August). The season that collect labdanum wuth tradisional way.

Seasonal Dimorphism in the Mediterranean Cistus incanus L. subsp. incanus

OXFORD JOURNALS
ANNALS OF BOTANY
Giovanna Aronne+ and Veronica De Micco
Laboratorio di Ecologia Riproduttiva, Dipartimento di Arboricoltura, Botanica e Patologia Vegetale (Sezione Botanica), Università degli Studi di Napoli ‘Federico II’, via Università 100, 80055, Portici (Napoli), Italy
Received: 20 November 2000 ; Returned for revision: 5 January 2001 . Accepted: 23 February 2001

Mediterranean perennial species are described as being sclerophyllous, or summer deciduous, or seasonally dimorphic. Field observation in the coastal maquis of Castelvolturno Nature Reserve, southern Italy, showed thatCistus incanus L. subsp. incanus is a seasonally dimorphic species as it develops brachyblasts with small leaves in summer, and dolichoblasts with large leaves in winter. Field biometric data confirmed that winter shoots were 14-times longer than those developed in summer and had many more leaves. The area of single winter leaves was five-times that of summer leaves. Anatomical leaf structure also changed with the season: winter leaves were flat while summer leaves had a crimped lamina which was partially rolled to form crypts in the lower surface. Leaves were covered by considerably more trichomes in summer than in winter. Stomata were uniformly distributed along the lower epidermis of winter leaves but were only present in the crypts of summer leaves. In summer leaves, a palisade layer was often found on both sides of the lamina, the mesophyll cells were generally smaller and the intercellular spaces were reduced. Winter leaves had a dorsiventral structure and larger intercellular spaces. Seasonal dimorphism is generally reported to be an adaptation to summer drought. However, the morphology and anatomy of C. incanus L. subsp.incanus showed that the subspecies has not only developed a strategy to survive summer drought, but has evolved two different habits, one more xerophytic than the other, to optimize adaptation to the seasonal climatic changes occurring in Mediterranean environments. Copyright 2001 Annals of Botany Company

Cistus, Cistus incanus L. subsp. incanus, climatic changes, leaf anatomy, leaf dimorphism, Mediterranean shrubs, phenology, seasonal dimorphism

1. Winter leaves of Cistus Incanus

2.Summer leaves of Cistus Incanus.