Genista falcata
Credits
Article from Bean's Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles
Recommended citation
'Genista falcata' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.
Infraspecifics
Other taxa in genus
- Genista anglica
- Genista cinerea
- Genista delphinensis
- Genista ephedroides
- Genista etnensis
- Genista florida
- Genista germanica
- Genista hispanica
- Genista januensis
- Genista lobelii
- Genista lydia
- Genista nissana
- Genista pilosa
- Genista 'Porlock'
- Genista radiata
- Genista sagittalis
- Genista scorpius
- Genista sericea
- Genista sylvestris
- Genista tenera
- Genista tinctoria
- Genista villarsii
A very spiny, gorse-like shrub, the young shoots very stiff, more or less hairy, ribbed, the spines mostly three-pronged or branched, 1⁄2 to 2 in. long, downy. Leaves quite small, narrowly obovate to oval, stalkless, 1⁄6 to 1⁄2 in. long, 1⁄12 to 1⁄4 in. wide, ciliate. Flowers yellow, 1⁄3 to 1⁄4 in. long, solitary in the axils of the spines or a few in short clusters, very copiously produced and sometimes collectively forming very handsome, woody, columnar panicles over 1 ft. long; bracts and bracteoles minute or absent; calyx glabrous or thinly downy. Pods inflated, glabrous, sickle-shaped, up to 1⁄2 in. long.
Native of W. Spain and W. Portugal, on acid soils. It flowers in late April and early May.