Laburnum anagyroides (Golden chain)

Laburnum anagyroides Medik.

Golden chain, golden rain

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Rosidae	Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more
Order	Fabales	Legumes (pea and bean families)
Family	Fabaceae	Legume family (peas and beans)
Genus	Laburnum	An old Latin name mentioned by Pliny for the broad-leaved bean trefoil, a species of Cytisus in the Fabaceae (Thanks to Umberto Quattrocchi)
Species	anagyroides	Resembling genus Anagyris

About plant names...

Golden chain tree was introduced to North America in the early 1500s, favored for its radiant yellow hanging racemes of flowers.

Identification: Trees are 12-30' (3.7-9.1 m) in height, with few branches and a width of 9-12' (2.7-3.7 m). Leaves are 1¼-3" (3.3-7.6 cm), alternate, tripinnate. Flowers are plentiful bright yellow hanging racemes, 6-10" (15-25 cm) long. Individual flowers are bilaterally symmetrical, about ¾" (1.9 cm) in size. Flowers appear from May to June. Fruits resemble hanging clusters of pea pods.

Edibility: Poisonous Skull & Crossbones Seeds, which look somewhat similar to peas, are poisonous, containing the alkoloid cytisine. Produces nervousness, stomach and intestinal irritation with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea; irregular pulse, convulsions, coma; may be fatal.

Online References:

Laburnum anagyroides on luirig.altervista.org

Laburnum anagyroides on plantillustrations.org (botanical illustrations)

Laburnum anagyroides on Wikimedia Commons

Laburnum anagyroides on plants.ces.ncsu.edu

Laburnum anagyroides on plants.ces.ncsu.edu (toxicity information)

Laburnum anagyroides description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.

5/27/2013 · Underwoods, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 14 × 18" (35 × 46 cm)

5/27/2013 · Underwoods, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 4½ × 3' (1.4 × 1 m)

5/27/2013 · Underwoods, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 4½ × 3' (1.4 × 0.9 m)

Range: Zones 5-7:

About this map...