58. 



CYTISUS PURPUllEUS. 



Purple-flowered Cytisus. 



DlADELPHIA. DecANDRIA. 



Class 17. Order 4. 



CvTisus : Kvria-os of Hippocrates and Theophrastus. Said by Pliny 

 to have been lirst found in the isle of Cythus, whence it is supposed 

 to have derived its name. 



Linn. gen. n. 877. Linn. syst. G67. 



GENERIC CIIARACTEK. 



Cal. Perianth one-leafed, bell-form, short, obtuse at the base : mouth 

 two-lipped 5 upper lip two-cleft, acuminate 3 lower three- toothed. 

 Cor. papilionaceous. Standard ovate, rising upwards, sides reflex. 

 Wings the length of the standard, straight, obtuse. Keel some- 

 what bellied, acuminate. Skim. Filaments diadelphous (single and 

 nine-cleft) rising upwards. Anthers simple. Pist. Germ oblong. 

 Style simple, rising upwards. Stigma obtuse. Per. Legume ob- 

 long, obtuse, attenuated at the base, stiff. Seeds a few, kidney- 

 form, compressed. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



Flowers peduncled, solitary. Leaves smooth. Stems decumbent, 

 becoming shrubby. Legumes sickled above. 



Stem shrubby, smooth, brownish, pliant, prostrate. Leaves 

 scattered, alternate, petioled; leaflets sessile, ovate, sharpish, 



