COMMON GORSE. 



HOW TO KNOW THE SHRUBS 

 GROWING IN BRITAIN— VI 



With Notes, descriptive and photographic, for their Identification 

 in all Seasons of the Year 



By HENRY IRVING 



THE GORSE AND THE BROOM 



AS do the Lalmrnum and the so-called 

 ./\. Acacia, the Gorse and the Broom 

 both belong to the Pea-flower or 

 Pea-pod tribe. In both the leaves as such 

 occupy a very subordinate position, being 

 either, as in the Gorse, converted to other 

 forms and uses, or, as in the Broom, to a 

 considerable extent sup])ressed. Yet the 

 ]ilants show more or less green the whole 

 year round, so that they may roughly 

 be classed among the evergreens. The 



flowers, which are a golden yellow of 

 varying de])th. have five petals, the 

 arrangement ol which may be best seen 

 in those ot the Broom. At the back is a 

 single erect petal, the standard ; next 

 are two petals placed horizontally with 

 their inner edges almost in contact, 

 the wings ; and beneath these two others 

 joined above and below along their whole 

 length, forming a closed boat-hke struc- 

 ture, the keel, which encloses the vital 



III2 



