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Cytisus (Etymology obscure according)

(etymology obscure; according to some, from Cythnus, one of the Cyclades, where some of the species were first found). ORD. Leguminosae. A genus of about thirty-eight species of shrubs (rarely spinous), confined to Europe, Northern Africa, the Canary Islands, and Western Asia. Flowers yellow, purple, or white, not honeyed. Leaves one to three-foliolate, or absent; stipules minute. Two species (C. canariensis and C. racemosus) are largely grown for greenhouse decoration, in spring; most of the others are either hardy trees, or shrubs, of the easiest possible culture. The latter are readily increased by seed, which are generally produced in abundance; or by layers. Some of the rarer kinds may be grafted on a commoner stock, or on seedling plants of the allied genus, Laburnum.

Cultivation of Greenhouse Species. Propagation is effected, in spring, by cuttings of the young wood, which, if taken when about 3in. long (with a heel preferred), inserted under a bell glass, and placed in heat, or in a close frame, will root readily. If gradually hardened, potted, and grown on, small flowering specimens may be obtained the following spring. As soon as the plants have finished flowering, they should be cut back, and kept in a close temperature of about 55deg., in order to induce growth. When started, any repotting required should be seen to, and the plants returned to a similar place, and kept syringed. When established in the new soil, plenty of air should be admitted, and a thin shading applied in summer. The growing season will be completed about August; the plants should then be placed outside until the appearance of frost. Keep quite cool all the winter, and gradually introduce a few specimens to a warmer house, in January, when the flowers will soon open. A succession may be kept up, if plants are available, until June. Turfy loam, with a small proportion of lumpy peat, and some sharp sand added, forms a suitable compost; and the plants, when opening their flowers, are much benefited by doses of liquid manure. C. racemosus forms nice little specimens, in 5in. or 6in. pots, for room decoration, where they keep good a long time. They may afterwards be grown on to form plants 3ft. high and nearly as much through. C. canariensis requires similar treatment, but does not grow quite so freely. It is very useful for flowering later in the season than the other species noticed.

C. Adami. See Laburnum Adami.

C. albus (white). fl. white, in fascicles, disposed in long racemes. May. l. simple and trifoliate, sessile; leaflets linear-oblong, silky. Branches terete, twiggy. h. 6ft. to 10ft. Spain and Portugal, 1752. Hardy. C. alpinus. See Laburnum alpinum.

C. Ardoini (Ardoino's). fl. yellow, one to six in the axils of each leaf, usually secund; calyx campanulate, scarious in upper half, hairy; lips divergent; pedicels about twice the length of the calyx, without bracteolae, hairy. Spring. l. trifoliolate; leaflets obovate, hairy, small, silky when young. Stems rod-like, generally decumbent, many springing from a knotted and twisted stock. h. 4in. Mountains of the Maritime Alps, 1867. An extremely pretty species, somewhat resembling Genista. (Fl. Ment. 58.) C. austriacus (Austrian). fl. yellow, terminal, somewhat umbellate. June. l., leaflets lanceolate, attenuated at both ends. Branches twiggy, terete, and, as well as the leaves, clothed with adpressed strigose pubescence. h. 2ft. to 4ft. East Europe, 1741. Hardy.

C. biflorus (two-flowered). fl. yellow, oblong, about 1 1/4in. long, longer than the leaves, parallelly paired; peduncles short, very thick; calyx pale green, membranous, villous, twice shorter than the vexillum, tubularly oblong, slightly swollen and compressed, shallowly bilabiate; lips straight, contracted. May. l. ternate, about 1in. long, silkily furred underneath; leaflets elliptically-oblong, rather pointed, nearly of the same length as the petiole, with a small mucro; petiole silkily furred. Branches smooth, silkily furred, loosely and sparsely-leaved. h. 3ft. Hungary, 1760. Hardy deciduous. (B. R. 308.) C. canariensis (Canary Islands).* fl. yellow, in elongated, many-flowered, secund racemes; bracts and bracteoles setaceous. June to August. l. shortly-stalked, trifoliate; leaflets obovate-oblong, acute. Canary Islands. A much-branched dwarf shrub, everywhere softly villose. C. capitatus (headed). fl. yellow, numerous, capitate at the tops of the branches (sometimes lateral in the autumn). June. l., leaflets ovate-elliptic, villous. Branches straight, hispid. h. 2ft. to 4ft. Europe, 1774. Hardy. (L. B. C. 497.) C. filipes (thread-stemmed). fl. white. March. Branches slender, pendulous. Teneriffe, 1838. A very elegant conservatory plant.

C. hirsutus (hairy).* fl. yellow, lateral, on very short pedicels, aggregate. June. l., leaflets obovate, villous beneath. Branches twiggy, terete; young ones hispid; adult ones smooth. Europe, 1739. Hardy decumbent species. (Fl. Ment. 28.) C. Laburnum. See Laburnum vulgare.

C. nigricans (blackish). fl. yellow; racemes elongated, terminal, erect. June. l. trifoliolate, stalked, clothed with adpressed pubescence beneath, as well as the branches, calyces and legumes; leaflets elliptic. Branches terete, twiggy. h. 3ft. to 6ft. Europe, 1730. Hardy. (B. R. 802.) C. proliferus (proliferous). fl. white, lateral, umbellately aggregate. April and May. l., leaflets elliptic, and, as well as the calyces, silky. Branches terete, velvety. h. 2ft. to 4ft. Teneriffe, 1779. Greenhouse. (B. R. 121.) C. purpureus (purple).* fl. purple, axillary, solitary, on short pedicels. May. l., leaflets oblong. Stems procumbent, twiggy. Plant glabrous. European Alps, 1792. Hardy. This is a very beautiful shrub when in flower, but has a better effect when grafted on a rather tall Laburnum. (B. M. 1176.) C. racemosus (racemose).* fl. bright yellow, disposed in a terminal spike 6in. long. July. l. trifoliate. h. 3ft. Said to have come from the Peak of Teneriffe, 1835; probably, however, a plant of garden origin. Greenhouse evergreen. C. Everestianus (R. H. 1873, 390), a garden form, with flowers a couple of shades deeper in colour, is similar to this in habit, &c. C. scoparius. Common Broom. fl. yellow, axillary, pedicellate, solitary. April to July. l., trifoliate, petiolate; upper ones simple, and, as well as the leaflets, oblong. Branches angular. h. 3ft. to 10ft. Europe (Britain). Hardy. There are three or more forms of this species.

C. sessilifolius (sessile-leaved). fl. yellow; racemes terminal, erect, short; calyces each having a three-leaved bract just under it. May. l., leaflets three, ovate; floral leaves almost sessile. Branches terete. h. 4ft. to 6ft. Plant quite smooth. South Europe, 1629. (B. M. 601.) C. Weldeni (Welden's). A synonym of Petteria ramentacea.