Genista monspessulana
Contr. New South Wales Natl. Herb. 3: 98. 1962.
Shrubs 1.5–3 m. Stems sericeous, hairs silvery. Leaves petiolate; stipules deciduous, 0.5–2 mm; petiole 1–5 mm; leaflets 3, blades oblanceolate to obovate, 10–15 mm, base cuneate, margins ciliolate, apex obtuse and mucronate, surfaces sericeous abaxially, glabrous adaxially. Inflorescences 4–10-flowered, axillary, clustered on short shoots, dense, 15–60 mm; bracts caducous, narrowly linear, 2–3 mm. Pedicels 1–3 mm. Flowers: calyx 5–7 mm, sericeous; banner ovate, 10–15 mm, glabrous; wings and keel slightly shorter than banner, wings glabrous, keel tomentose abaxially and distally. Legumes oblong, 15–25 mm, densely sericeous. Seeds (3–)5–7(–10), tan to dark brown, ovoid, 1–1.3 mm; hilum greenish yellow. 2n = 44, 46, 48.
Phenology: Flowering Feb–Aug.
Habitat: Grasslands, oak woodlands, coastal scrub, chaparral, conifer and mixed evergreen forests, mostly in disturbed areas.
Elevation: 0–900 m.
Distribution
Introduced; B.C., Calif., Oreg., s Europe, w Asia, n Africa, Atlantic Islands (Azores, Canary Islands), introduced also in South America (Argentina, Chile, Uruguay).
Discussion
The flowers and possibly other parts of Genista monspessulana have been reported as toxic. The species apparently hybridizes with G. canariensis and G. stenopetala Webb & Berthelot. Genista stenopetala was previously reported from California; it now appears that the only known specimens of the species were cultivated and that many specimens previously annotated to this name were hybrids with G. monspessulana. The hybrid is found in Oregon.
Selected References
None.