Laburnum - Golden Chain

Laburnum (also called Golden Chain) is a genus of two species of small trees in the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Fabaceae, Laburnum anagyroides (Common Laburnum) and Laburnum alpinum (Alpine Laburnum). They are native to the mountains of southern Europe from France to the Balkan Peninsula. Some botanists include a third species, Laburnum caramanicum, but this native of southeast Europe and Asia Minor is usually treated in a distinct genus Podocytisus, more closely allied to the brooms.

They have yellow pea-flowers in pendulous racemes 10-30 cm (4-12 in) long in spring, which makes them very popular garden trees. In Laburnum anagyroides the racemes are 10-20 cm (4-8 in) long, with densely packed flowers; in Laburnum alpinum the racemes are 20-30 cm (8-12 in) long, but with the flowers sparsely along the raceme.

Most garden specimens are of the hybrid between the two species, Laburnum × watereri (Voss's Laburnum), which combines the longer racemes of Laburnum alpinum with the denser flowers of Laburnum anagyroides; it also has the benefit of low seed production.

The yellow flowers are responsible for the old poetic name 'golden chain tree' (also spelled golden chaintree or goldenchain tree).

All parts of the plant are poisonous and can be lethal if consumed in excess. Symptoms of Laburnum poisoning may include intense sleepiness, vomiting, convulsive movements, coma, slight frothing at the mouth and unequally dilated pupils. In some cases, diarrhea is very severe and at times the convulsions are markedly tetanic. The main toxin in the plant is Cytisine, a nicotinic receptor agonist.

Echinocactus

Echinocactus is a genus of large barrel-shaped cacti, usually with large spines and small flowers. The generic name derives from the Ancient Greek echino- "spiny" and cactus. Other types of Barrel Cactus are assigned to genus... more >>>

Babiana

Babiana Ker Gawler is a genus of flowering plants in the Family Iridaceae comprised of about 80 species. Most of these species (about 49) are found in the southwestern Cape of Africa, with the remainder distributed in Namaqualand and Northern... more >>>

Acaena

Acaena is a genus of about 100 species of perennial herbs and subshrubs in the Rosaceae, native mainly to the Southern Hemisphere, notably New Zealand, Australia and South America, but with a few species extending into the Northern Hemisphere,... more >>>

Abeliophyllum

Abeliophyllum (White Forsythia) is a monotypic genus of flowering plants, in the family Oleaceae. It consists of one species, Abeliophyllum distichum Nakai (Korean Abelialeaf), endemic to Korea, where it is endangered in the wild, occurring at... more >>>

Weberocereus

Weberocereus is genus of cacti. It produces a green and white flower and is found mainly in Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

Some Species
Weberocereus rosei is a species of cactus from Ecuador.

Weberocereus... more >>>