LEGUMlNOS.Ii:. 10 1 



abrupt sharp point, and somewhat milky green. The flowers 

 are produced in long compact racemes from June to September. 

 They are white. Native of Persia. 



Genista. — There are no truly herbaceous plants in this 

 genus, but there are several handsome low-growing shrubs 

 which may properly be associated with them in adorning rock- 

 work, mixed borders, the margins of shrubberies, and for planting 

 in semi-wild places, where the effects of the common Whin and 

 Broom are desired along with a neater and dwarfer habit of 

 growth. It is rather a large genus, but the limits of the species 

 are not very well defined ; in many cases there is a strong ten- 

 dency to variation, out of which some not ver}^ distinct species 

 and a good deal of synonymy have been manufactured by Con- 

 tinental botanists. We have only two or three species in 

 cultivation besides the three that are indigenous; but there 

 ought to be more, if not for the sake of colour — for that is the 

 same throughout the whole group, and is yellow in deeper or 

 lighter shade — at least for the sake of variety of aspect and 

 habit, and in these respects there is considerable diversity. 

 They are plants of easy culture, growing freely in any ordinary 

 soil. They may be propagated by seed, layers, and cuttings ; 

 the layers in spring or autumn, the cuttings as soon as the 

 summer growth is becoming firm, and the seed in pots in 

 frames in early spring, or in the •'^pen ground. 



G. procumbens, syn. G. prostrata {Prostrate G.) — This spe- 

 cies is of trailing spreading habit, rarely exceeding 9 inches 

 high, the stems branching freely, the branches round and green. 

 The leaves are bluntly lance-shaped, and clothed on the under 

 side with silky hairs. The flowers are produced one in the axil 

 of each leaf at the ends of the branches, forming a slightly- 

 leafy raceme. They appear from June till August. Native of 

 rocky places in Moravia and Lower Austria. 



G. radiata, syn. Spartium radiatum {Radiating G.) — This is 

 a very peculiar and pretty species, growing about 18 inches 

 high, with opposite branches, and trifoliate almost stalkless 

 leaves. The flowers are produced in heads of three or four 

 each, and open in the summer months. Native of the Alps 

 of Provence. 



G. sagittalis {Winged G.) — This is one of the most hand- 

 some of the dwarfish section of the family. It grows in rather 

 prostrate fashion, with many sparsely-branched curiously-winged 

 stems, the wings being dark green and membranous. The 

 racemes of flowers are terminal, and appear in May and June. 

 Abundant in the mountain pastures of many countries of 

 Europe. 



