Cytisus Ardoini, Fournier, is closely related to Cytisus glabrescens, 
Sartorelli* (=C. emerifolius, Rchb.), but may be distinguishedt by 
having hairy pods, while those of C. glabrescens, Sartorelli, are gla- 
brous; the keel also of this latter plant appears decidedly rostrate. 
Cytisus glabrescens, Sart., differs, moreover, according to Bertoloni,f in 
having the leaves glabrous on the upper side, and the standard yellow, 
veined with red. Cytisus Ardoini, Fourn., suffers greatly from the 
ravages committed by the cattle, which are driven in herds from place 
to place, and eat leaves, twigs, and everything that is green and not 
poisonous. It is, therefore, extremely difficult to obtain fruit, and the 
only pods that I have seen are those placed by the Rev. W. Hawker 
in M. Ardoino’s herbarium. When my father was among the moun- 
tains of the Alpes Maritimes in July last (1868), he made an excursion 
in search of pods to Mont de Meras, where he had, during the spring 
previous, seen the ground covered with its golden flowers; but the 
cattle had been before him, and so closely had they eaten everything 
down, that he failed to discover any characteristic portion of the plant 
which might lead to recognition. This probably happens every spring, 
and will account in part for the extreme rarity of this species, and per- 
haps also for its low and stunted growth. 
Expranation oF Prats LVIII.—Fig. 1, the standard, showing the 
inner face and the incurved margins. Fig. 2, one of the wings, show- 
ing the depression corresponding to the conical boss on the keel. Fig. 3, 
the keel, showing one of the two conical bosses. Fig. 4, the flower 
deprived of its petals. Fig. 5, two of the stamens, one short, with 
ovate, versatile anther, the other long, with oblong anther attached by 
the base. Fig. 6,a ripe pod of the natural size. Fig. 7, the ovary, 
taken from a flower. All the Figures are magnified except Fig. 6. 
* Degli Alberi indig. al Boschi del Ital. super. p. 282 (1816). 
+ I judge from specimens in the herbarium of the late M. J. Gay (recently pur- 
chased by Dr. Hooker, and presented by him to the Royal Herbarium at Kew), which 
are the only ones I have seen. 
t Bertoloni, ‘ Flora Italica,’ vii. 562. This species is only found near the Lake of 
Como and amongst the neighbouring Swiss mountains. 
