ii8 SUB-ALPINE PLANTS 



Hillsides, woods, and pastures from the plains to the sub-Alps ; 

 common. May to July. 



Distribution. — Most of Continental Europe except the North. 



Cytisus L. 



Herbs, small trees, or shrubs. Leaves usually 3-lobed, rarely 

 simple. Upper lip of calyx truncate or bidentate. Flowers yellow. 

 Other characters as in Genista. 



Many species inhabiting Europe, Asia, and Africa. 



Cytisus alpinus L. " Alpine Laburnum." 



A small glabrous tree, 6-20 feet high. Leaves trifoliate, on long 

 stalks ; leaflets large, entire, pointed, shortly stalked, green on both 

 sides, glabrous or hairy only at the margin. Flowers rather smaller 

 than in C. Laburnum, in a large, pendent, downy raceme. Legume 

 glabrous, shining, with a winged keel to the upper suture. 



Mountain woods and bushy places up to 5000 feet ; local. June, 



July- 



Distribution. — Jura, Eastern, Central, and Western Alps. 



Cytisus Laburnum L. Laburnum. 



A rather taller tree than the last. Leaves glaucous below, instead 

 of being green on both sides. Pod downy and then nearly glabrous 

 instead of being always glabrous. 



Mountain woods. May, June. 



Distribution. — Switzerland, Eastern France ; Alpes-Maritimes ; 

 naturalised elsewhere in France. Central and Southern Europe. 



Cytisus radiatus Koch. 



A small under-shrub about a foot high and much branched. 

 Branches opposite or radiate, slender, truncate. Leaves shortly 

 petioled, trifoliate ; leaflets linear, spreading. Inflorescence 

 terminal, in a 3-10 flowered head. Calyx silky, with almost equal 

 segments. Standard and keel downy. Pod small, 5 mm. by 3, 

 oval, with curved point. 



Dry hiUs, rocks, pastures, and mountain woods ; local. June, 



July. 



Distribution.- — Switzerland, only in Orisons and Valais (Montana), 

 Hautes-Alpes and Basses-Alpes in France. Central and Southern 

 Europe, as far east as Thessaly. 



Cytisus hirsutus L. 



A dwarf under-shrub, 1-2 feet high, and of stiff habit. Leaves 

 3-lobed, petioled, downy on both sides, turning black on being 

 dried. Leaflets oboval. Flowers lateral, in leafy clusters on the old 

 branches. Calyx tubular, with stellate hairs. 



Hot hills, thickets, and rocky slopes. May to July. 



