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chamaecytisus
Scientific Name: Chamaecytisus
Family: Fabaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth:
Duration:
Other Names:
Chamaecytisus
Chamaecytisus is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the legume family, Fabaceae, and the subfamily Faboideae. It is sometimes considered a synonym of Cytisus.
Considerations for Pets
- Chamaecytisus palmensis forms flat black pods about 5 cm long.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Family: Fabaceae (Legume Family)
- Subfamily: Faboideae
- Synonyms/Alternative Names: Sometimes considered a synonym of Cytisus.
- Some species and subspecies mentioned include:
- Chamaecytisus palmensis (synonyms: Cytisus proliferus L.f., Chamaecytisus palmensis (H. Christ) F. A. Bisby & K. W. Nicholls, Chamaecytisus prolifer subsp. palmensis (H. Christ) G.)
- Chamaecytisus prolifer (L. f.) Link subsp. prolifer var. palmensis (H. Christ) A. Hansen & Sunding
- Chamaecytisus ruthenicus (Fischer ex Woloszczak ) Klsk.
- Chamaecytisus hirsutus (syn. Cytisus hirsutus)
- Chamaecytisus supinus (L.) Link
- Chamaecytisus eriocarpus (Boiss.) Rothm.
- Chamaecytisus purpureus (Scop.) Link
- Chamaecytisus ciliatus (Wahlenb.) Rothm.
- Chamaecytisus hirsutissimus (K. Koch) Czerep.
Common Names
- Tree Lucerne (primarily referring to Chamaecytisus palmensis)
- Tagasaste (primarily referring to Chamaecytisus proliferus, especially the form endemic to La Palma)
- Hairy Broom (Chamaecytisus hirsutus)
- Big-flower Broom (Chamaecytisus supinus)
Distribution and Habitat
- The genus Chamaecytisus contains about 30 species distributed in Europe, as trees or shrubs.
- Two notable species originated in the Canary Islands, including C. palmensis.
- Chamaecytisus hirsutus is native to Southern and Central Europe.
- Chamaecytisus palmensis has been recorded at Mount Ainslie.
Ecological Role
- Tree Lucerne (Chamaecytisus palmensis) is regarded as an environmental weed in New South Wales (particularly in central and southern regions) and Victoria, Australia.
Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits
- Species within the Chamaecytisus genus can be trees or shrubs.
- Chamaecytisus palmensis is an evergreen, bushy tree with profuse white flowers. It can reach heights of 7 to 8 m if managed as a single-stemmed tree. It has weeping branches and greyish green foliage.
- They can be small, late-flowering trees or subshrubs having yellow to red flowers and leathery or woody pods.
Culture
- Chamaecytisus thrives best in medium moisture, sandy or gravelly, well-drained loams in full sun but tolerates light shade.
- Established plants exhibit some drought tolerance.
Interactions with Other Organisms
- Attracts birds and bees.
- Cattle graze on Chamaecytisus palmensis.
Quirky Facts
- Chamaecytisus palmensis (Tagasaste) trimming residues are considered to be agricultural waste.
- Chamaecytisus palmensis can be used as a nurse crop for natives and has nitrogen-fixing properties.
Resources and Further Information
- The Plant List includes 81 scientific plant names of species rank for the genus Chamaecytisus, of which 13 are accepted species names.
- EOL (Encyclopedia of Life) has information about Chamaecytisus ruthenicus.
- Australian Plant Census provides name records for Chamaecytisus palmensis.
- International Plant Names Index lists Chamaecytisus eriocarpus.
- Discover Life provides information about the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Chamaecytisus palmensis.