Genista umbellata (L'Hér.) Poir.

Scientific Name and Height

Genista umbellata (L'Hér.) Poir. is a leguminous plant that grows up to 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) tall.

Branch Characteristics

It is heavily branched starting from the base, with branches that are alternate, opposite, or fasciculate, and grow in an erect-patent orientation. Its stems have 10 to 14 T-shaped ribs.

Leaf Structure

The lower leaves of young Genista umbellata plants are trifoliolate; all other leaves are unifoliolate, stipitate, and arranged either alternately or oppositely. A stipular organ on the plant is crossed by 3 ribs that join together at the apex.

Inflorescence Traits

Its inflorescences are terminal, holding 5 to 30 yellow flowers that measure 9–14 mm (0.35–0.55 in). Flowers are pedicellate or subsessile, with 1 bract and 2 bractlets growing on the pedicel.

Calyx Features

The calyx is 4.5 to 7 (up to 7.5) mm long, campanulate, bilabiate, and covered in villous or sericeous hairs, with a calyx tube shorter than the calyx lips.

Corolla and Stamens

The corolla's staminate standard is nearly the same size as the keel; both the standard and keel are covered in sericeous or villous hairs. There are 10 stamens, which are monadelphous.

Ovary and Style

The ovary is covered in sericeous or villous hairs and holds 3 to 6 seminal rudiments; the style is glabrous and curved at the apex; the stigma is capitate, and is either extrorse or subterminal.

Fruit and Seed Characteristics

The fruit measures 8-24 × 3.7-4.5 (up to 6) mm, is oblongoid, somewhat flattened and torulose, covered in sericeous or villous silvery hairs, and contains 2 to 4 seeds.

Chromosome Count

The documented chromosome counts for this species are 2n = 46 and 2n = 48.

Habitat

In terms of distribution and habitat, Genista umbellata grows on marly or schistose slopes, and in thickets on calcareous, stony hills.

Distribution Range

It has an Ibero-Maghrebi distribution, and is found in Spain, Algeria, and Morocco.