Genista
| Genista | |
|---|---|
 | |
| French Broom | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Faboideae |
| Tribe: | Genisteae |
| Genus: | Genista L. |
| Species | |
|
About 90; see text | |
Genista /dʒɛˈnɪstə/[1] is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family Fabaceae, native to open habitats such as moorland and pasture in Europe and western Asia. They include species commonly called broom, though the term may also refer to other genera, including Cytisus and Chamaecytisus. The genus Ulex (gorse, furze) is also closely related to, and may be confused with, Genista.[2]
They are mainly deciduous shrubs and trees, often with brush-like foliage, often spiny to deter grazing, and masses of small, pea-like yellow blooms which are sometimes fragrant.[2] Many of the species have flowers that open explosively when alighted on by an insect, the style flying through the upper seam of the keel and striking the underside of the insect, followed by a shower of pollen that coats the insect.[3]
The name of the Plantagenet royal line is derived from this genus, being a corruption of planta genista.[4]
Species include:
- Genista aetnensis - Mount Etna broom
- Genista anglica - petty whin, needle furze
- Genista canariensis
- Genista cinerea
- Genista clavata
- Genista corsica
- Genista ephedroides
- Genista falcata
- Genista ferox
- Genista florida
- Genista fragrans
- Genista germanica
- Genista hassertiana
- Genista hirsuta
- Genista linifolia - flax broom
- Genista lydia
- Genista maderensis
- Genista microcephala
- Genista monspessulana - French broom, cape broom, Montpellier broom
- Genista pilosa
- Genista pulchella
- Genista radiata
- Genista sagittalis
- Genista scorpius - aulaga
- Genista siberica
- Genista splendens
- Genista stenopetala - sweet broom, Easter broom
- Genista sylvestris
- Genista tenera
- Genista tinctoria - dyer's broom, woodwaxen
- Genista tournefortii
- Genista triacanthos
- Genista tridentata
- Genista umbellata
Some brooms in other genera are considered synonymous with Genista, for example, Spanish broom (Spartium junceum syn. Genista hispanica)