588 



GENISTA 



Native of Central and W. Europe, where it is widely distributed. Its 

 nearest ally is G. anglica, but it is well distinguished by its hairy shoots and 

 leaves and sturdier habit. It is apt to grow rank, and become rather ragged 

 in rich garden soil ; a sunny, rather dry position suits it best. 



G. GLABRESCENS, Briquet. 

 (Bot. Mag., t. 8201 ; Cytisus glabrescens, Sartor elli^) 



A low, deciduous shrub of dense habit, up to 3 ft. high, with angled 

 brarichlets. Leaves trifoliolate, ^with leaf-stalks \ to I in. long; leaflets stalk- 

 less or nearly so, obovate or oblong, \ to \ m - long, clothed with silky hairs 



beneath. Flowers produced from the 

 joints of the previous year's shoots, 

 one to four, or occasionally more, at 

 each joint ; yellow. Each flower is 

 about \ in. long, on a hairy stalk of 

 equal length. Pods I to \\ ins. long, 

 \ in. wide, smooth. 



Native of Central Europe, on the 

 Lepontine Alps at considerable alti- 

 tudes. This delightful shrub, which 

 forms a neat, compact mass of 

 branches, was introduced to Kew in 

 1896, and the original plant is still 

 under 2 ft. high. It flowers in May, 

 when the plant is almost hidden by 

 blossom. It is worth a place in 

 the rock garden, or wherever dainty 

 plants can be accommodated with- 

 out danger of being" smothered by 

 stronger-growing neighbours. It has 

 usually been grown under the name 

 of Cytisus glabrescens, but Mr John 

 Briquet, a close student of this group, 

 M ^ *qi a puts it in this genus. 



G. HISPANICA, Linnczus. 

 SPANISH GORSE. 



(Bot. Mag., t. 8528.) 



GENISTA GLABRESCENR. 



A deciduous shrub, usually from 

 i to ii ft. (sometimes 2 ft.) high, 



forming dense, cushion-like masses ; branches interlacing, spiny and hairy, the 

 spines much branched, f to I in. long, each subdivision needle-pointed. 

 Leaves confined to the flowering twigs, linear-lanceolate, about \ in. long, 

 Y^g to J in. wide ; hairy beneath. Flowers as many as twelve in a rounded 

 head or cluster I in. or so across, terminating short, erect, leafy, hairy shoots ; 

 each flower is \ in. long, rich golden yellow. Pod flattish oval, carrying one 

 to four seeds. 



Native of S.W. Europe; introduced in 1759. It flowers in the latter half 

 of May and in June, and produces at that time a more gorgeous display 

 of golden yellow blossom than any other dwarf shrub. Healthy plants are 

 completely covered with bloom, and when they have been planted to cover 

 a breadth of 10 ft. or so, produce a most brilliant colour effect. On shelves 

 or small plateaux of the rock garden single plants are very charming. 

 Although its leaves are deciduous, this shrub gives an evergreen effect 



