Genista ×spachiana

A horticultural hybrid thought to involve G. canariensis L. and G. stenopetala, with a recent genetic study suggesting that G. monspessulana may also be involved. Plants closely resemble G. stenopetala and are thought to be distinguished from this species by the presence of a small patch of hairs on the standard petal, and shorter petioles (c. 3 mm long) and inflorescences (less than 9 cm). These characters appear to be unreliable, with most Victorian collections being intermediate or having a combination of these characters. Hence the application of these two names is somewhat uncertain in Victoria. Naturalised plants have come from horticulture and are likely to be the result of hybridisation and back-crossing between these two species, and further hybridisation is likely to have occurred with G. monspessulana.