Red Cytinus

Family: Cytinaceae

The Cytinaceae contain the genus Cytinus which is a low parasitic perennial with no chlorophyll. The parasite lives in the host plant, the scales are usually crimson and white or pale-pink flowers appear in April or May. Cytinus hypocistus subsp. clusii is parasitic on pink-flowered Cistus species. The plants nestle on the ground beneath shrubs and can be difficult to find.

Cytinus was formerly included in the Rafflesia Family, Rafflesiaceae, a primarily tropical family of parasitic plants which contained the largest flower in the world, Rafflesia.