PHENOLOGY OF SPECIES BELONGING TO THE GENUS CYTISUS AND ALLIES (GENISTEAE, LEGUMINOSAE)

The phenology of nineteeen accessions belonging to fourteen shrubby sp ecies of the genus Cytisus and allied taxa (Genisteae: Leguminosae) ha s been studied. The species are potentially interesting for introducti on in agroforestry systems, or non-irrigated gar dens, in extreme-clim ated dry mediterranean areas. The methodology used for the description of the phenology was based on nine key phenophases. This system can b e generally applicable to most of the shrubby species interesting for the above-mentioned purposes. Cytisophyllum sessilifolium started the growth season significantly later than the rest of the species. Bloom extended from mid-March for some of the species to the beginning of Ju ne for others, and maturation of pods from the end of March to the beg inning of August. The dendrogram obtained on the mean dates for every phenophase contributes to support Chamaecytisus hirsutus and Chamaecyt isus supinus as consistently different species, as well as the close r elation between Cytisus villosus and the genus Chamaecytisus.