This charming little shrub is a native of Switzerland and Austria: Clusius informs us that it grows in great abundance on many of the mountains near Vienna, so much so that women gather it when in flower and sell it in the markets; its beautiful and fragrant blossoms come forth in April and May, the principal season for its flowering, but it frequently blows during most of the Summer, and even in the Autumn; it varies with white blossoms.
It is extremely hardy, thrives remarkably well in road sand in almost any situation; is propagated by seeds, which very rarely ripen with us, by layers, and by grafting it on the stock of the Mezereon, whereby it acquires an elevation superior to what it has naturally.
Genista Triquetra. Triangular-Stalk'd Genista.
_Cal._ 2-labiatus: 2/3. _Vexillum_ oblongum a pistillo staminibusque deorsum reflexum.
GENISTA _triquetra_ foliis ternatis, summis simplicibus, ramis triquetris procumbentibus. _L'Herit. Stirp. nov. t. 88._ _Ait. Kew. v. 3. p. 14._
Mons. L'Heritier, author of many modern publications in Botany, distinguished for their accuracy and elegance, was the first who described and figured this species of Genista, a native of Corsica, and cultivated here by John Ord, Esq. as long since as the year 1770.
It is a hardy, evergreen, trailing shrub, producing a vast profusion of bloom; which renders it eminently conspicuous in May and June; its flowers are rarely succeeded by seed-vessels, so that it is usually propagated by layers.
When tied up properly, and carefully trained to stake, it may vie with most of our ornamental shrubs: for covering a wall, or paling, where the situation is not too shady, it probably would succeed very well, at least it is deserving of trial.
Pelargonium Ceratophyllum. Horn-Leaved Crane's Bill.
_Cal._ 5-partitus: lacinia suprema definente in tubulum capillarem, nectariferum, secus pendunculum decurrentem. _Cor._ 5-petala, irregularis. _Filam._ 10 inæqualia, quorum 3 raro 5 castrata. _Fructus_ 5-coccus, rostratus, rostra spiralia introrsum barbata.
PELARGONIUM _ceratophyllum_ umbellis multifloris, foliis remote pinnatis carnosis teretibus, laciniis canaliculatis obsolete trifidis. _L'Herit. Geran. n. 50. t. 13._ _Ait. Kew. v. 2 p. 422._