CHAP. XLI. LEGUMJNA X CE^E. GENl'STA. .")7J* 



on a laburnum, it forms a singular object, and, when in flower, a most 

 magnificent one. It is also an admirable plant tor training against a wall, 

 particularly in dry situations, where it is exposed to the sun. Where it is 

 desired to train a plant in the form of a man, an animal, or of any artificial 

 object, by planting (Venfsta triquetra in a favourable soil and situation, and 

 placing over it a wire frame of the exact form of the object to be produced 

 in green, the shoots might be trained to the frame ; and in summer, when 

 the plant was in flower, the form would appear as if covered with gold ; 

 while in winter, from the greenness of the shoots, it would be completely 

 green. 



fli 5. G. BRACTEOLA V TA LJc. The bracteolated Genista. 



Identification. Lk. Enutn., 2. p. 224. ; Dec. Prod., 2. p. 146. ; Don's Mill., 2. p. 149. 



,s/rr. I'/tar., &(C. Branches striated, pubescent. Leaves pubescent, trifoliolate ; the leaflets obovate- 

 flowers in short terminal racemes. Calyx hairy. (Dec. Prod., ii. p. 146.) A deciduous shrub, 

 growing to the height of from 2ft. to 4ft, and flowering from March to May. It was introduced 

 in 182,3, but from what country is unknown. De Candolle knows so little about it, that he expresses 

 a doubt, in his Prodromus, as to whether he has given it its right place in the series of species. 



j* 6. G. UMBELLA V TA Poir. The umbellate^/?ozwm/ Genista. 



Identification. Poir. Suppl, 2. p. 715. ; Dec. Prod., 2. p. 146. ; Don's Mill., 2. p. 149. 

 Synunynic. Spartium umbellatum Dcsf. AU. t 2. p. 133., L'Herlt. Stirp., 183. 



Spec. Char., $c. Leaf trifoliolate, its petiole short, its leaflets linear-lanceolate, and rather silky. 

 Flowers in terminal heads. Calyx hairy, in a silky manner. Corolla and legume silky. Branches 



duced in 1799. It 



. . ., . . . , , 



grows to the height of from 1 ft. to 2ft., and flowers from April to June. 

 Variety. 



j* G. u. Zcapitata Dec. has the branches and leaves clothed with silky hairs. It is a native 

 of Mogador, and is synonymous with the i'partium capitatum Cav. Annul. 1801, p. 63. 



st 7. G. LUSITA'NICA L. The Portugal Genista. 



Identification. Lin. Sp., 999., exclusive of the synonymies of Clus. and J. Bauh. ; Lam. Diet 



2. p. 662., exclusive of the synonymes; Dec. Prod., 2. p. 146. ; Don's Mill., 2. p. 150. 

 Engraving. Andr. Bot. Rep. t. 419. 



SJK-C. Char., %c. Branches spiny, round, becoming striate. Leaves trifo- 

 liolate, opposite, upon short petioles ; the leaflets linear, folded, somewhat 

 silky. Flowers few, terminal. Calyx very hairy. (Dec. Prod., ii. p. 146.) A 

 native of Portugal, where it grows 4 ft. high. Introduced in 1771, and 

 flowering from March to May. It forms a very spiny shrub, remarkable for 

 having opposite leaves and branches; a character not common among Le- 

 guminaceae. 



8. G. (L.) RADIA'TA Scop. The n\yed-brane/icd Genista. 



Identification. Scop. Cam., No. 871. ; Dec. Prod., 2. p. 146. ; Don's Mill., 2. 



p. 149. 

 Si/noni/tnes. Spartium radiatum I.'in. .S> , 996., Mill. Icon., t. 249. f. 1., 



Sims But. .Vrt., 22W). ; G. ilvi'nsis Dti/ecfi. 

 Engravings. Mill. Icon., t. J24y. f. 1. ; Bot. Mag., t 2260. ; and our fig. 269. 



Char., Sfc. Branches angled, grouped, glabrous. 

 Leaf trifoliolate, almost sessile, opposite, the leaflets 

 somewhat silky. Flowers in terminal heads, 2 4 in 

 a head. Corolla and legume silky. The old branches 

 show a tendency to become spiny. The legumes are 

 oval, short, compressed, pointed with the style, and 

 include two seeds. (Dec. Prod., ii. p. 146.) A native 

 of Italy, Carniola and the Vallais; introduced in 1758, 

 and flowering in June and July. It bears a close re- 

 semblance to G. lusitanica, differing from it principally 

 in being without spines, and having its leaves some- 

 what longer. Both this species or variety, and G. lu- 

 sitanica, have a very singular appearance when without 

 their leaves ; and, in that point of view, they may be con- 

 sidered as almost as interesting in winter as they are 

 in summer. Shrubs of this kind of interest are most desirable for intro- 

 ducing among evergreens, more especially if they are at the same time free 

 flowercrs. 



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