Pea Family - Trees & Shrubs

Pea Family - Fabaceae

Judas-tree Cercis siliquastrum

A native species in the Mediterranean Region and eastwards through the Middle East to Iran, but also widely planted in the area as an ornamental. Flowers May. A small to medium-sized tree with alternate, rounded leaves. When in flower, this species is truly spectacular as flowers emerge direct from the older branches and even the trunk, to give a sensational display in pinkish purple. The brown seed pods hang on the tree through the winter and can be very conspicuous.


Habit	Flowers	Flowers	Leaves

Leaf	Seed pods	Winter bud	Bark

Carob Ceratonia siliqua

Native to the Mediterranean Region and Middle East, but widely planted and cultivated elsewhere.


Leaves	Leaves	Leaf	Leaflets

Male flowers	Male flowers	Female flowers	Female flowers

Blue-leaved Wattle Acacia saligna

(Port Jackson Wattle) Native to south-western Australia. Occasional as large shrub or sprawling, multi-stemmed tree and occasionally seeding along roadsides and in barrancos.


Habit	Flowers	Flowers	Leaves

Leaves	Leaves	Leaves	Leaves

Black Locust Robinia pseudoacacia

(False-acacia). Native to North America. Widely planted as an amenity tree in Europe and commonly self-seeding along roadsides.


Flowers	Flowers	Leaf	Leaflets

Seed pods	Juvenile twig	Adult twig	Bark

Bean Trefoil Anagyris foetida

Native in the Mediterranean Region to the Arabian Peninsula.


Habit	Leaves	Leaves	Seed pods

Hairy Spiny-broom Calicotome villosa

Native throughout the Mediterranean Region and often dominant in shrub communities on open hillsides.


Habit	Habit	Flowers	Flowers

Leaf	Seed pod	Stems	Old stems

Genista monspessulana

Native from Macaronesia through the Mediterranean region to the Caucasus.


Habit	Flowers	Leaves	Seed pods

Genista acanthoclada

Native to the Mediterranean region, from Greece and Libya eastward to Lebanon. A very dense and spiny, low shrub.


Habit	Stems	Old stems

Leaves	Leaves

Spanish Broom Spartium junceum

Native in Macaronesia and the Mediterranean Region. Frequent on sunny slopes, but also widely planted along roadsides.


Habit	Flowers	Flowers	Flower

Leaf	Seed pods

Adenocarpus complicatus

Native to Macaronesia and the Mediterranean region. Usually low-growing, forming spreading patches of vegetation.


Habit	Flowers	Flowers	Flowers

Leaves	Leaf

Hermann's Kidney-vetch Anthyllis hermanniae

Native from Corsica and Sardinia eastwards to Turkey. A shrubby component of low maquis habitats.


Habit	Habit	Flowers	Flowers

Leaves	Leaves	Leaves

Tree Medick Medicago arborea

Native to the Mediterranean regions of Europe and Turkey but also introduced as an ornamental elsewhere.


Habit	Habit	Flowers	Flowers

Leaf	Leaf	Seed pods

Chinese Wisteria Wisteria sinensis

Native to Eastern Asia. Commonly planted as a garden ornamental and included here as it is a frequent eye-catcher when in flower. A strong-growing climber. Flowers April to May. Chinese Wisteria stems twine anti-clockwise as they grow and the leaves typically have 7-13 leaflets - both features that distinguish it from Japanese Wisteria.


Flowers	Leaf	Stems twine counter-clockwise	Winter buds

Common Liquorice Glycyrrhiza glabra

Native from the central Mediterranean region eastwards through eastern Europe and the Middle East to eastern and Central Asia. Some plants may be relics of cultivation.


Flowers	Leaf detail

False-indigo Bush Amorpha fruticosa

Native to the USA and northern Mexico but widely introduced into Europe and Asia where it often becomes invasive in warmer, continental climates.


Habit	Flowers	Flower

Leaves	Leaflets	Young seed pods	Mature seed pods

Flora of Lesvos An Identification Guide

Pea Family - Trees & Shrubs

Pea Family - Fabaceae

Species List

Flora of Lesvos
An Identification Guide