Plants of South Eastern New South Wales
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Ulex europaeus
Gorse, Furze
Fabaceae
Forest, woodland, heath, grassy areas, roadsides, disturbed sites, rock outcrops, and along streams. Widespread, often along highways.
Introduced shrub to 4 m tall, occasionally sprawling under harsh conditions. Branches and 'leaves' with spiny tips. Stems ribbed, densely hairy, more or less glaucous when young. 'Leaves' alternating up the stems, 0.5-3.5 cm long, 0.5-2 mm wide, grooved lengthwise, hairless to hairy. Seedlings have compound leaves with 3 leaflets. Flowers with a distinct coconut smell (weakly smelled by some people), 15-20 mm long, pea shaped, with 5 yellow petals, 2 joined together to form the keel. Flowers throughout the year.
General Biosecurity Duty with additional restrictions all NSW. Pest plant ACT. Noxious weed Vic.
PlantNET description: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Ulex~europaeus (accessed 7 February, 2021)
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