Shrubs 1–3(–4) m; twigs erect or ascending, green, strongly 5-angled, pubescent or glabres­cent. Leaves 15 mm; petiole (2–)3–6 mm, densely pilose, appressed-villous, or glabrate; leaflets (1 or)3 or 5 (leaves often unifoliolate in new growth or distal parts of shoots), blades lanceolate-linear or oblong, 3–7 × 2–5 mm, base rounded, apex abruptly acuminate or cuspidate, surfaces dull, densely pilose, appressed-villous, or gla­brate. Inflorescences erect, 1–3-flowered, usually pre­cocious. Pedicels 3–7 mm, glabrous. Flowers: calyx campanulate, 5 mm, lips barely lobed, villous; corolla white, banner proximally with medial dark line, 20 mm, banner 5–10 mm, reflexed or not. Legumes beige, laterally compressed, linear-oblong, 2.5–3 cm, surfaces glabrous. Seeds 4–6, olivaceous to dull brown, reniform, 2.5(–3) mm. 2n = 48, 96.

Phenology: Flowering Mar–May.
Habitat: Roadsides.
Elevation: 40–600 m.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Introduced; B.C., Calif., Oreg., Wash., sw Europe, introduced also in Pacific Islands (New Zealand).

Discussion

Cytisus multiflorus is easily distinguished from C. proliferus, which also has white petals, by its strongly angled green stems; shorter leaflets; smaller, erect inflorescences; shorter, campanulate calyces with scarcely lobed lips; and shorter, glabrous legumes.

Cytisus multiflorus hybridizes with C. scoparius (C. × dallimorei).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.