92 LEGUMINOSJE. [Ulex. 



2. U'LEX, L. Furze, "Whin, Gorse. 



Densely spinous shrubs. Leaves 3-foliolate in seedling plants, in mature 

 spinescent or reduced to small scales, exstipulate. Flowers yellow, axillary ; 

 bracts small. Calyx membranous, coloured, 2-partite, upper lobe 2- lower 

 minutely 3-toothed. Petals shortly clawed ; keel-petals and wings obtuse. 

 Stamens as in Genista. Style smooth, stigma capitate ; ovules many. 

 Pod 2-valved, 1-celled. — Distrib. W. Europe to Italy, N.W. Africa ; 

 species 12. — Etym. doubtful. 



1. U. europse'us, L. ; bracts large ovate lax, calyx hairs spreading, 

 teeth minute, wings longer than the keel. 



Heaths, &c., N. to Shetland ; rarer in the North ; ascends to 2,100 ft. in 

 Wales; Channel Islands; fl. Feb.-March, and Aug.-Sept — Bush 2-5 ft., 

 rounded; spines 1-2 in., straight. Leaves small; leaflets hairy; spines 

 sometimes furnished with minute 1-foliolate leaves. Flowers fin., borne on 

 the spines, bright yellow, odorous. Calyx yellow, hairs black. Pod § in., 

 black, covered with brown hairs, dotted. — Distrib. Denmark to Italy, 

 Canaries and Azores. 



V. europce'us proper ; branches spreading, spines furrowed rigid. — Vatc. U. 

 stric'tus, Mackay ; brauches erect compact, spines soft 4-gonous. Lord 

 Londonderry's park, Down. Irish Furze. 



2. XJ. nanus, Forster ; bracts minute, calyx with appressed pubescence, 

 teeth lanceolate, wings longer or shorter than the keel. 



Heaths and commons, from Ayr and Northumbd. southd. ; Ireland ; fl. July- 



Nov. — Much smaller than if. europceus. Stems 1-3 ft. Spines h-1% in. 



Flowers g in., more racemose. Pods persist till next season. — Distrib. 



Belgium and France. 

 U. na'nus proper ; branches procumbent drooping, primary spines weak short. 



— Chiefly in S. England ; not in Ireland ; Chanuel Islands. (S.E. France). 

 Sub-sp. U. GaiA.ii, Planch. ; branches ascending, primary spines rigid.— 



Heaths and downs in the West, common ; ascends to 2,000 ft. in Ireland. 



(S.W. France). 



3. CYT'ISUS, L. Broom. 



Shrubs, rarely spinous. Leaves 1-3-foliolate or 0. Stipules minute. 

 Flowers yellow, purple, or white, not honeyed. Calyx 2-lipped ; upper 

 lip minutely 2- lower 3-toothed. Wings oblong, and keel obtuse, deflexed 

 (as in Genista) after flowering, their claws free. Stamens as in Genista. 

 Style incurved or coiled, smooth, stigma terminal ; ovules many. Pod 

 flat, elongate, 2-valved, many-seeded, somewhat septate. Seeds with a 

 tumid funicle. — Distrib. Europe, N. Africa, W. Asia. — Etym. obscure. 



1. C. scopa'rius, LinTc ; branchlets and obovate leaflets silky. Spar- 



tiurn, L> Sarothamnus, Koch. 



Hpaths, CQmmons, &c, from Caithness southd. ; ascends to 2,000 ft. in the 

 Highlands; Ireland; Channel {slanda; fl, May-June.— Shrubby, 2-6 ft., 

 hajry • branches green ? angular, furrowed. Leaves shortly petioled ; leaflets 



