Plex.cal 63. LEGUMINOS.^. 363. Genista. 595 



II. 363. GENISTA. Bro(ytn. 



Calyx 2-lipped ; upper lip 2-toothed, lower 3-toothed ; 

 standard oblong, turned back; keel l^'ing down, not entirely 

 covering the stamens and pistils ; stamens monadelphous ; 

 le^umen oblong. — Stem shrubby; leaves simple or ternate; 

 stipules scarcely any; fioivers yellow. 



a. Spartium. Branches unarmed. 



1 . Genista vulgaris. Common broom. 

 Leaves oblong, ternate or solitary ; branches stiff^ angu- 

 lar; flowers axillary; peduncles short; legumen many- 

 seeded ; edge hairy. 



Genista anguiosa trifolia, Jiaii Syn. 474. 

 Genistn, Ger.em. 1311, 1. 

 Genista vulgaris, et Scoparia, Park. 228, 

 Spartium Scoparia, Lzn. S, i*. 996. 



Fields and dry woods; shrubby; May and June. 

 Branches evergreen, bald; leaves small, haXd; flowers 

 solitary, drooping, large; corollce gold or citron-yellow. — 

 Tops and seeds in infusion diuretic, serviceable in dropsy ; 

 seeds roasted substituted for coffee; young flowers pickled 

 for sauce ; ashes afford a tolerably pure subcarbonate of 

 potash ; when sheep are pastured on it in bloom the rot is 

 prevented ; twigs used for carpet-brooms, and their bark 

 may be made into flax. 



2. Genista tinctoria. Dyeing broom. 

 Branches round, streaked, upright, unarmed ; leaves Ian™ 



ceolate, hdld i floivers racemose; legumen bald, roundish, 

 many-seeded. 



Genistella tinctoria, Raii Syn. 474, 1 ; Ger. em. 1316, 1 ; Lin. S. P. 998. 



Genista tinctoria vulgaris, Park. 228. 



Base broom. Dyers weed. Green weed. Wood-waxen. 



Pastures and woods ; shrubby ; July and August. 



Root woody ; branches ascending ; leaves sessile, slightly 

 hairy on the edge; floiuers axillary; calyx angular. — Plant 

 in decoction diuretic; seeds purgative; flowers dye wool 

 yellow. 



3. Genista pilosa. Hairy brooyn. 

 f>' ' Stem tubercled, decumbent, unarmed ; leaves lanceolate, 



folded, blunt, hairy beneath ; flowers axillary, nearly ses- 

 sile; calyx, corolla, and legumen hairy, hairs silklike. 



Cbamaageiiista Pannonica, Ger. em. 1313,6. 

 Genista pilosa, Lin. S. P. 999. 



2q2 



