CHAP. XLI. 



LEGUMINAY;E/E. G'ENl'STA, 



583 



275 



ai 24. G. SCARIO'SA Viv. The scarious-margined-leaved Genista. 



Identijiratnm. Viv. Ann. But., 1. p. 2. 175. ; Fragtn. Fl. Ital., 1. p. 5. t. 8. ; Dec. Prod., 2. p. 150. ; 

 Don's Mill., 2. p. If)'.'. 



SI/HOHI/WCS. d. januensis t'iv. Cat., p. 10., Bert. PI. ; G. genuensis Pers. Ench., No 5. 



Bngnnt*g. Frag. Fl. Ital., 1. t 8. 



Spec. Char., <$r. The whole plant perfectly glabrous. Stem ascending. Younger branches 3-sidcd. 

 Leaves simple, lanceolate, or the lowest obovate, dry and shriveled in the margin. Flowers in 

 racemes. Corolla twice the length of the calyx. Legume linear, including 4 7 seeds, some of the 

 intervals between them constricted. (Dec. Prod., 2. p. 150.) An upright shrub, a native of Liguria 

 and of the kingdom of Naples. Introduced in 1821 and flowering in June and July. 



.* 25. G. ANXA'NTICA Ten. The Anxantic Genista. 



Identification. Tea Fl. Nap. Prod, p. 41. ; Fl. Nap., 2. p. 127. t. 66. ; Dec. Prod., 2. p. 150. ; Don's 



Mill., 2. p. 152. 



Si/nuiu/ine. G. ams&ntica Tenore. 

 Engravings. FL Nap., 2. p. 127. t. 66. ; Swt. Fl.-Gar., 2d ser. t. 266. ; and our figs. 274, 275. 



Spec. Char., $c. The whole plant is 

 074, perfectly glabrous. Stems spread- 

 ing. Branches angled. Leaves 

 simple, ovate-elliptical, rather coria- 

 ceous, veiny. Flowers in racemes. 

 Corolla thrice as long as the calyx; 

 and about 8 lines long. Legume con- 

 taining 8 10 seeds. (Dec. Prod. y \\. 

 p. 150.) A diffuse shrub, a native 

 of the kingdom of Naples. Intro- 

 duced in 1818, and flowering in June 

 and July. There are plants of this species in the Chelsea and other bo- 

 tanic gardens. It is well adapted for ornamenting rockwork, from its trail- 

 ing habit, and profusion of yellow flowers. 



-** 26. G. TINCTO N RIA L. The Dyer's Broom, or Green Weed. 



Identification. Lin. Sp., 998. ; Dec. Prod., 2. p. 151. ; Don's MilL, 2. p. 152. 



Synont/mes. Base Broom, Green Weed, Green Wood, Dyer's Weed, and Wood-xvaxen Genet des 



Teinturiers, Genet de Siberie, Fr. ; farbender Ginster, Ger. 

 Engravings. Eng. Bot., t. 44. ; and our Jig. 276. 



Spec. Char., %c. Root creeping. Stems almost 

 upright. Branches round, striated, upright. 

 Leaves simple, lanceolate, -rather glabrous. 

 Flowers glabrous, in spiked racemes. Legume 

 glabrous. (Dec. Prod.,\\. p. 151.) A creeping- 

 rooted low shrub, common in Europe, in grassy 

 fields, and in woods and copses, particularly 

 in dry gravelly or sandy soils ; flowering in 

 July. It is very common in pastures in many 

 places both in England and Scotland; and, 

 when cows feed on it, it is said by Ray to give 

 a bitter taste to their milk. All parts of this 



K>Iant, and especially the branches, and leaves, 

 ave long been used by dyers for producing yellow, especially for dyeing 

 wool that is afterwards to be dyed green with woad (/satis tinctoria Z/.). 

 We are not aware that the Genista tinctoria is in cultivation, as a dyer's 

 plant, either in Britain or on the Continent ; but, in Suffolk and Norfolk, 

 and probably other counties, the wild plant is collected in quantities, and 

 sold to dyers. The ashes afford an alkaline salt, which is employed as a 

 diuretic in dropsy and other diseases. In Britain, the principal use of the 

 plant, when in a state of cultivation, is as an ornamental shrub. 



Varieties. 



j G. /. 2 latifolla Dec. Leaves broad-lanceolate. (Dec. Prod.) A native 



of Auvergne, on the Golden Mount. (Dons Mill.) 

 j G. /. 3 hirsuta Dec. Leaves somewhat villose. Branches upright. A 



native of sunny meadows. 



276 



