Mr. C. C. Babington on Ulex. 



301 



I now proceed to describe shortly the four species. 



1. U. Europceus, (Linn. Sp. PI. 1045. var. a.) Calyce villoso, 

 bracteis ovatis laxis, foliis junioribus subtus villosis sulcatis, 

 spinis primariis validis teretibus polygonis sulcatis minutissime 

 scabris, caulibus hirsutis, floribus lateralibus. 



U. Europaeus auctorum, Eng. Bot. 742. 



In this plant the spines are very large and strong, spreading 

 horizontally, terete, with numerous longitudinal ribs and fur- 

 rows, minutely scabrous, alternately branched from their very 

 base, and producing the flowers from the branches (secondary 

 spines) or from the primary spines themselves, the points of 

 which do not extend beyond the expanded flowers. The 

 leaves are linear-lanceolate, in the young state downy beneath 

 and furrowed but not ciliated ; the bracteas rather large ovate 

 spreading ; the calyx shaggy, with the teeth at the summit 

 of each sepal so closely pressed together as to escape notice 

 until carefully examined. The form of the petals will be best 

 seen by the figures. 



This plant often grows to the height of from 4 to 6 feet, 

 and flowers from January to June. Common in England. 



U. Europceus. 



2. U.stricius, (Mack, in Trans. Roy. Ir. Acad. xiv. 166.) Calyce 

 villoso, bracteis ovatis laxis, foliis junioribus subtus villosis te- 

 nuibus, spinis primariis exiguis tetragonis minutissime scabris, 

 caulibus hirsutis, floribus terminalibus. 



U. strictus, Mack. 1. c. Lindl. Syn. ed. 2. p. 322. 



U. Hibernicus, G. Don, Syst. Bot. and Gard. 2. 148. 



Here the spines are slender, flexible, and short, ascending 

 at an acute angle from the stem, tetragonal with an interme- 

 diate rib upon one of the sides, minutely scabrous, alternately 

 branched from their very base, never (as far as I have ob- 

 served) producing flowers. The flowers are rarely produced 

 at all; when present they are few in number, springing from 



