Family |
Fabaceae
Calicotome villosa
(Poir.) Link
Calicotome villosa (Vahl) Link
(Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 2, Pl. XCI nº 1; 1983)
Description
Life-form & habit: Much-branched shrub, 1–2 m tall, with very rigid and spiny stems. Branches striated, pubescent when young, becoming glabrous with age. Short twigs end in a strong thorn.
Leaves: Clustered on the short shoots; petiole puberulent; leaflets shortly petiolulate, glabrous above, with scattered hairs on the underside.
Inflorescence & flowers: Flowers inserted among the leaves on short shoots; pedicels longer than the calyces.
Calyx: Campanulate, puberulent, with nearly entire margins, 2–3 mm long.
Corolla: Bright yellow, 10–12 mm long, glabrous; standard broad and longer than other petals, which are nearly equal.
Fruit: Young pods very hispid, later distinctly pubescent with a strongly thickened or even double dorsal suture.
Flowering and habitat
Phenology: Flowers from January to April.
Habitat & elevation: Degraded woodlands and rocky slopes.
Distribution
Lebanese distribution: Ct. Saïda, Bir Hassan, Beirut, Tripoli; Mi. Between Saïda and Joun, Jamhour, ‘Aley, Salima, ‘Abey, Bikfaya; Sud. Şarada; Met. Hasbani.
Syrian distribution: Sud. Banias, Hammé.
Native range: Albania, Algeria, Corse, Cyprus, East Aegean Is., Greece, Italy, Kriti, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Portugal, Sardegna, Sicilia, Spain, Tunisia, Türkey, Türkey-in-Europe. (KEW)