TELINE MONSPESSULANA

Family and Genus:- See- LEGUMINOSAE

Common Names:- Montpellier broom

Homotypic Synonyms:- Cytisus monspessulanus, Genista candicans, Genista

syriaca, Genista monspessulana.

Meaning:- Teline Meaning unknown

Monspessulana (L) From Montpellier, S France.

General description:- Erect, slender, unarmed shrub.

Stems:-

1) 50-200 cm; twigs densely villous.

Leaves:-

1) 3-foliate; leaflets 5-13 mm, obovate to oblanceolate.

Flowers:-

1) Short-pedicellate, in clusters of 4-7 at the ends of short lateral branches, main

branch continuing the growth.

2) Calyx, bilabiate, the upper lip deeply 2-fid,the lower with 3 indistinct teeth.

3) Corolla, 10-13 mm, glabrous, yellow.

Fruit:-

1) Legume, 15-25 x 3-5 mm, narrowly oblong, with long, villous to lanate.

2) Seeds. 3-6, c 2.5 mm, strophiolate, dark greyish-brown, smooth.

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Habitat:- Scrubland vegetation, open deciduous and mixed woodland, gorges,

mostly on non-calcareous substrates. 0-800 m.

Distribution:- Mainland Greece. Widespread in the Mediterranean region and

Macaronesia. Rare on Crete, known from only a few location in the Lefka Ori and

Psiloritis massifs.

Flowering time:- Apr to early June.

Photos by:- Courtesy of Wiki-Commons