LEGUMINOSAE. 149 
ULEx. Furze. 
(Family Leguminosae). 
Small very twiggy and spiny 
shrubs, the triangular leaf-spines 
persistent. Twigs short, slender, 
tapering into spines, fluted, the 
stouter branches loosely hairy and 
often papillate: pith minute, con- 
tinuous. Buds small, usually su- 
perposed with the upper develop- 
ing promptly and the lower flat- 
tened between it and the leaf, 
with about 4 rather indistinct 
scales. Leaves alternate, nar- 
rowly triangular, keeled, very 
pungent: stipules lacking. 
It is unusual to find the equiv- 
alent of leaves as well as twig- 
branches of the stem converted 
into spines: as a rule when one is 
spinescent the other is not. Ulex 
presents both cases. Like other 
plants in which the leaves are 
changed into spines, it does not form leaf-scars, for the modi- 
fied leaves do not disarticulate. 
Though a plant of dry sandy regions, the furze grows 
naturally where rain or mist is frequent. In hedges, or 
massed, it is attractive, especially when flowering, but for 
the perfection of its beauty symmetrical single plants should 
be seen in the early morning or after a gentle rain, when the 
moisture-laden down with which they are covered gives a new 
meaning to the colloquial word fuzzy. 
| 
i 
yl 
i 
i [i 
Mw 
Twigs green: buds tomentulose. U. euopaeus. 
