Ulex parviflorus, Pourret

5. U. parviflorus Pourret View in CoL , Mém. Acad. Toulouse 3: 334 (1788).

Up to 150 cm but often less; habit very variable. Long shoots villous, crispate-pubescent or glabrescent; short shoots and spines crispate-pubescent to glabrous. Primary phyllodes 2-5(-6) mm, deltate-acuminate to narrowly triangular, pubescent or glabrous; secondary phyllodes mostly less than half as long as lateral spines. Spines straight or recurved, the terminal 4-30 mm. Bracteoles up to 1 - 5 mm, narrowly ovate to suborbicular. Calyx 6-5—12(—14) mm, appressed-pubescent when young, often more or less glabrescent, rarely with long, patent hairs. Standard and keel about equalling calyx; wings shorter. Seeds 1-3. In = 32, 64, 96. S. W. Europe, from Portugal to S. France. BI Ga Hs Lu.

Very variable, especially in S. Spain and S. Portugal; more than 15 variants have been given binomials. The most conspicuous differences between individuals (habit, length and shape of spines, arrangement of flowers) are often found within a single population; other characters (size of flowers, indumentum of various parts) show a confusing amount of reticulation. The treatment below must be regarded as only a provisional attempt to chart the pattern of variation.

1 Calyx with long, patent hairs, at least in bud (c) subsp. funkii 1 Calyx appressed-pubescent

2 Short shoots and spines densely crispate-pubescent

(d) subsp. eriocladus 2 Short shoots and spines ± glabrous

3 Calyx usually less than 10mm; long shoots glabrous or crispate-pubescent but not villous (a) subsp. parviflorus 3 Calyx at least 10 mm; long shoots often villous throughout their first year (b) subsp. jussiaei