Ulex argenteus, Welw. ex Webb

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1981, Flora Europaea. Volume 2. Rosaceae to Umbelliferae, Cambridge University Press : 103

7. U. argenteus Welw. ex Webb , Ann. Sci. Nat. ser. 3 (Bot.), 17: 291 (1852).

(10-)25-120 cm; habit variable. Young twigs and spines covered with short, persistent, whitish, appressed hairs. Primary phyllodes 2^4-5 mm, linear-oblong; secondary phyllodes less than half as long as lateral spines. Bracteoles 0-6-2 mm, ovate. Calyx 7-14 mm, appressed-pubescent or sericeous. Standard about equalling calyx; wings 1-5-2-5 mm shorter. Seeds usually 2. 2/z = 64,?96. • S. Portugal; one locality in S.E. Spain. Hs Lu. Three taxa, within the limits of the species as here defined, are usually recognized, and are treated as subspecies below. There are, however, many plants, especially in the neighbourhood of

Faro (S. Portugal), which do not fit well into any of the subspecies and require further investigation.

1 Calyx 8-5-14 mm; bracteoles 1-2-2 mm; plant silvery-glaucous

(c) subsp. erinaceus 1 Calyx 6-12 mm; bracteoles 0-5-1 mm 2 Calyx 6-9 mm; plant somewhat glaucous (a) subsp. argenteus 2 Calyx 10-12 mm; plant not glaucous (b) subsp. subsericeus