Flora of New Zealand Series

spiny broom

Shrub up to 3 m high; twigs sparsely to moderately clothed in appressed hairs when young, becoming ± glabrous, furrowed; spines stout, simple, scattered, 10-40 mm long. Lvs glabrous above, sericeous below, petiolate, usually 3-foliolate; leaflets obovate, cuneate, mucronate or obtuse, 4-10-(12) mm long; petiolules ± equal. Fls mostly solitary, axillary, sometimes few in fascicles; pedicels 4-8 mm long; bracteoles subtending calyx usually 3-fid. Calyx remnant sparsely to moderately clothed in appressed hairs. Corolla yellow, 10-15 mm long. Pod usually glabrous or sometimes sparsely hairy along suture, narrowly oblong, 3-8-seeded, 30-40 mm long; sutures somewhat thickened and sometimes winged; seeds yellowish brown, smooth, flattened.

N.: established in the vicinity of Palmerston North, Ashurst, and Bunnythorpe, also collected form Turakina Valley and Okoia (Wanganui); S.: Brighton (near Dunedin), occasional in Silverpeaks County, Otago.

Mediterranean 1933

Waste places, hill country.

FL Aug-Feb.

Spiny broom is a persistent weed where it occurs, but is now largely eradicated at known localities. The slightly winged suture of the pod is distinctive (Fig. 60).

Fig. 60. Frs of Fabaceae. A Calicotome spinosa; B Hedysarum coronarium. © All rights reserved. [Image: 4X5L]