Leguminosae. 



149 



IUlex. 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. 



Twigs green: buds tomentulose. 



U. euopaeus. 



