PLATE CCCCXIX. 
GENISTA LUSITANICA. 
| Portugal Genista. 
CLAS S\ Xia. UR UD. REV. 
DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA. Two Brotherhoods. Ten Chives. 
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER. . 
Catyx bilabiatus : 2—3 dentibus, binis superio- EmPatEMeENtT two-lipped: with 2—3 teeth, the 
ribus brevissimis. Vexillum oblongum — two uppermost very short. The standard 
a pistillo staminibusque deorsum re- oblong, and reflexed downwards from the — 
exum, chives and pointal. 
SPECIFIC _CHARAC Tees &c. 
Genista, caule aphyllo, spinis dha = Gist, with a leafless stem, and decussated 
Willd. Sp. Pl. 2, QA46.—Ait. Hort. Kew. — > spines, 
2. 16. 
Scorrius secundus. Clus. Hist. 1. p. 107. 
S$ 
REFERENCE ha ued PLATE. 
1. The empalement. a ya 
2. The standard. — “‘e mak Tas 
: 3. One of the wings. 2 - ae 
e keel. a E> ee See 
sot iS chi es. : PS oer 
6. The seed-bud and aed eee 
7. The same magnified. 
Tue Portugal Genista is a very spiny, and almost leafless shrub, of icay growth ; and although very 
well known to most of the old Botanists, does not appear to hie been cultivated in the British gardens 
until the year 1771; when, according to Mr. Aiton’s Hortus Kewensis, it was introduced by Mrs. 
Primmet. . It isa native of Portugal and Spain, but is sufficiently hardy to resist the cold of our ordi- 
nary winters, if planted in a sheltered situation : ‘yet is extremely liable to be injured, or even de- 
stroyed, in those which take place with rigour and severity: but as it very frequently produces good 
seeds, a supply of it is not difficult to be kept up _ my. The best time of sowing them is spring, 
_ The plant blooms freely from Mareh till May, ant when decorated with its golden flowers, makes 
a yery ornamental appearance in the shrubbery; in which, although it has been so long in culti- 
vation, we cannot help regretting that it but seldom occurs: and we venture to recommend it along 
with G. germanica (a closely allied species) to the further attention of our cultivating friends. 
Like many other shrubby leguminous plants, this Genista is averse to being frequently transplanted ; 
and never suffers the operation of removal with impunity. Let that business therefore, when neces- 
sary, be performed with all possible diligence and care. Our figure was taken from plants in the 
Clapham collection, : i 
