178 THE PEA FAMILY. 



Much of the picturesque effect of furze towards September is owing to this 

 species, rather than to the taller and larger Ulex Europceus, which is generally 

 in fruit, to a great extent, when the nanus is but in the day-spring of its glory. 



4. Common Bkoom — {Spdrtium Scopdrimn.) 

 Dry thickets and hedges, also on hills, the largest and most shewy 

 of our native yellow-flowered Leguminosoe. Plentiful about Sale, 

 Ringway, Eccles, Withington, and between Handforth and Styall. 

 Often left as a cover for game. Fl. May, June. 



Curtis, ii. 344; E. B. xix. 1339 ; Baxter, i. 77. 

 Common everywhere in gardens, where the blossoms vary to straw-colour. The 

 full-blown corolla appears as if it were falling to pieces, so loosely are the petals 

 held together. The legumes, which are produced copiously, are, when ripe, 

 nearly black, and fringed along the edge with whitish liau's. 



5. Dyers' Gkeen-weed — {^Genista tinctoria.) 

 Thickets, pastures, and borders of fields, especially on clay. Withen- 

 shaw, Hyde, Styall, Baguley, Mobberley, Rostherne, and very abundant 

 above Strines. Fl. July, August. 



E. B. i. 44; Baxter, ii. 84. 



6. Needle-w^hin — [Genista Anglica.) 

 Heaths and moors, rare. Baguley ; Seal-bark, Greenfield ; Staly- 

 bridge Brushes ; Highfield Moss, near Parkside (J. E.) ; Ashworth, 

 near Hey wood, along with the Orchis cotiopsea. (J. P.) Fl. June. 



E. B. ii. 132. 



7. Yellow Vetchling — [Lathyrus pratensis.) 

 Borders of fields, hedges, thickets, and bushy places, abundant 

 everywhere. Frequent also in meadows, among the mowing-grass. 



Fl. June, July. 



Curtis, i. 189 ; E. B x. {)70. 



An untidy, but sprightly and pleasing flower, its corollas all looking one way. 



8. Hedge Vetch — [Vicia septum.) 



Everywhere on hcdgebanks, and by waysides, where sheltered. 



Fl. May, June. 



E. B. xxii. 1515. 



Keadily distinguished by its axillary clusters of four to six nearly sessile 

 flowers, of a dull lilueish-pui-jjle colour, and by the leaflets gradually decreasing in 

 size towards the upper extremity of the leaf. It is the only native species of the 

 Leguminosce which consorts \vith dead-nettles, wild mustard, and other plebeians. 



