Genista 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. Brooms in other genera are sometimes considered synonymous with Genista: Echinospartum, Retama, Spartium, Stauracanthus, and Ulex.
Description
They are mainly deciduous shrubs and trees, often with brush-like foliage, often spiny to deter browsing, and masses of small, pea-like yellow blooms which are sometimes fragrant. 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.
The name of the Plantagenet royal line, which reigned in England from 1154 to 1485, is derived from this genus, being a dialectal variation of planta genista.
Several species are widely cultivated for their often sweet-smelling, abundant blooms early in the season, though many are not fully hardy. The cultivar 'Porlock' has received the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society in the United Kingdom.
Species
144 species are currently accepted. Genista includes the following species:
- Genista sylvestris <small>Scop.</small>
- var. pungens <small>(Vis.) Rehder</small>
- var. sylvestris <small>Scop.</small>
Species names with uncertain taxonomic status
The status of the following species is unresolved:
- Genista abyssinica <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista acquinoctialis <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista acutiflora <small>Pau</small>
- Genista acutifolia <small>Spach</small>
- Genista aegyptiaca <small>Spreng.</small>
- Genista aequinoctialis <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista affghanica <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista africana <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista albanica <small>F.K.Mey.</small>
- Genista alpicola <small>Schur</small>
- Genista alpina <small>(Mill.) Spach</small>
- Genista amana <small>Rech.f.</small>
- Genista amarella <small>Lepech.</small>
- Genista americana <small>Spach</small>
- Genista anabaptizata <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista andreana <small>Puiss.</small>
- Genista apetala <small>Spach</small>
- Genista aphylla <small>DC.</small>
- Genista aprutia <small>C.Presl</small>
- Genista arabica <small>(Decne.) Briq.</small>
- Genista arborea <small>Spreng.</small>
- Genista arborea <small>Rouy</small>
- Genista arborescens <small>Mill. ex Spach</small>
- Genista arcuata <small>W.D.J.Koch</small>
- Genista argentea <small>(L.) Noulet</small>
- Genista armata <small>Poir.</small>
- Genista artwinensis <small>Schischk.</small>
- Genista ascendens <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista austriaca <small>(L.) Scheele</small>
- Genista bakeri <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista bakeria <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista balansae <small>(Boiss.) Rouy</small>
- Genista ballii <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista barbara <small>Munby</small>
- Genista benehoavensis <small>(Bolle) del Arco</small>
- Genista bisflorens <small>(Host) Rouy</small>
- Genista bivonae <small>C.Presl</small>
- Genista bocchierii <small>Bacch., Brullo & Feoli Chiapella</small>
- Genista bourgaei <small>Spach ex Nyman</small>
- Genista bracteolata <small>Link</small>
- Genista britannica <small>Rchb.</small>
- Genista brugnieri <small>Spach</small>
- Genista brutia <small>Brullo, Scelsi & Spamp.</small>
- Genista caballeroi <small>Pau ex Caball.</small>
- Genista caespitosa <small>K.Koch</small>
- Genista calcicola <small>Schur</small>
- Genista calycina <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista capensis <small>Spach</small>
- Genista cappadocica <small>Spach</small>
- Genista cassia <small>Boiss.</small>
- Genista catalaunica <small>(Webb) Rouy</small>
- Genista cazorlana <small>Debeaux & E.Rev.</small>
- Genista charegia <small>Coss. ex Batt.</small>
- Genista cilentina <small>Vals.</small>
- Genista cineria <small>DC.</small>
- Genista cirtensis <small>Pomel</small>
- Genista collina <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista commixta <small>Spach</small>
- Genista compressa <small>Sol. ex A.Cunn.</small>
- Genista congesta <small>(Willd.) Poir.</small>
- Genista connata <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista contaminata <small>Poir.</small>
- Genista cordifolia <small>Porta</small>
- Genista coriacea <small>Kit.</small>
- Genista cosoniaca <small>Bernardin ex Gand.</small>
- Genista cossoniana <small>Batt.</small>
- Genista cotinifolia <small>Burm.f.</small>
- Genista crassifolia <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista crebrispina <small>Pomel</small>
- Genista cretica <small>(L.) Spach</small>
- Genista crotalarioides <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista csikii <small>Kümmerle & Jáv.</small>
- Genista cupani <small>Guss.</small>
- Genista cuspidata <small>(Cav.) Spach</small>
- Genista cuspidosa <small>DC.</small>
- Genista cytisoides <small>Spach</small>
- Genista dasycarpa <small>Ball</small>
- Genista daurica <small>G.Nicholson</small>
- Genista defoliata <small>Lam.</small>
- Genista delarbrei <small>Lecoq & Lamotte</small>
- Genista demarcoi <small>Brullo, Scelsi & Siracusa</small>
- Genista densa <small>Poir.</small>
- Genista discolor <small>Webb ex Lowe</small>
- Genista disperma <small>Spach</small>
- Genista divaricata <small>Link</small>
- Genista dorycnioides <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista dumetorum <small>G.Nicholson</small>
- Genista duriaei <small>Spach</small>
- Genista echinata <small>Sennen</small>
- Genista eckloniana <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista elias-sennenii <small>Uribe-Ech. & Urrutia</small>
- Genista elliptica <small>(Willd. ex Spreng.) Steud.</small>
- Genista elliptica <small>Kit.</small>
- Genista elongata <small>Scheele</small>
- Genista elongata <small>(Waldst. & Kit.) E.H.L.Krause</small>
- Genista emirnensis <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista ephedrifolia <small>Pourr. ex Willk. & Lange</small>
- Genista ericetorum <small>Hoffmanns. ex Spreng.</small>
- Genista erinacea <small>Gilib.</small>
- Genista erinaceoides <small>(Loisel.) Vierh.</small>
- Genista eriocarpa <small>Kunze</small>
- Genista europaea <small>E.H.L.Krause</small>
- Genista exaltata <small>Link ex DC.</small>
- Genista filifolia <small>Licht. ex Walp.</small>
- Genista filiformis <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista flaccida <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista foliolosa <small>Link</small>
- Genista formosa <small>Carrière</small>
- Genista fragrans <small>Spach</small>
- Genista friedrichsthaliana <small>C.Presl</small>
- Genista fritschii <small>Rech.</small>
- Genista frutescens <small>Schloss. & Vuk.</small>
- Genista gaditana <small>Rouy</small>
- Genista galioides <small>Spach</small>
- Genista gasparini <small>C. Presl</small>
- Genista genuensis <small>Pers.</small>
- Genista glabra <small>Spach</small>
- Genista gracilis <small>Poir.</small>
- Genista gracilis <small>Spach</small>
- Genista grandiflora <small>(DC.) Spach</small>
- Genista grossii <small>Font Quer</small>
- Genista gymnoptera <small>Duby ex Nyman</small>
- Genista halleri <small>Reyn. ex DC.</small>
- Genista harveyi <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista herbacea <small>Lam.</small>
- Genista hillebrandii <small>Christ</small>
- Genista hirta <small>Rouy</small>
- Genista hybrida <small>E.H.L. Krause</small>
- Genista hypericifolia <small>Herb. ex Colla</small>
- Genista incana <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista incerta <small>Friv. ex Griseb.</small>
- Genista incubacea <small>Schur</small>
- Genista inermis <small>Gilib.</small>
- Genista inermis <small>PanÃÂiÃÂ</small>
- Genista infesta <small>G.Don</small>
- Genista inops <small>Boiss. & Balansa</small>
- Genista insularis <small>Bacch., Brullo & Feoli Chiapella</small>
- Genista interrupta <small>(Cav.) Steud.</small>
- Genista italica <small>Lodd. ex G.Don</small>
- Genista jacquiniana <small>Scheele</small>
- Genista jaubertii <small>Spach</small>
- Genista jimenezii <small>Pau ex Munuera</small>
- Genista jordani <small>Shuttlew. ex Rouy & Fouc.</small>
- Genista jordanii <small>Shuttlew.</small>
- Genista juasi <small>Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don</small>
- Genista juncea <small>Scop.</small>
- Genista kabylica <small>Coss. ex Batt.</small>
- Genista kochii <small>Rouy</small>
- Genista kotschyi <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista laburnum <small>(L.) E.H.L.Krause</small>
- Genista lampropphylla <small>Spach</small>
- Genista lanigera <small>Spach</small>
- Genista laricifolia <small>Burm.f.</small>
- Genista leptophylla <small>Spach</small>
- Genista lipskii <small>(Novopokr. & Schischk.) Novopokr. & Schischk.</small>
- Genista longirostrata <small>Sennen</small>
- Genista lunaris <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista macrobotrys <small>(Maire & Sennen) Sennen</small>
- Genista madoniensis <small>Raimondo</small>
- Genista maroccana <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista martinii <small>Verguin & Soulie</small>
- Genista mauritiana <small>Pau & Sennen</small>
- Genista microsoma <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista millani <small>Caball.</small>
- Genista milli <small>Heldr. ex Boiss.</small>
- Genista minima <small>Bubani</small>
- Genista minor <small>Lam.</small>
- Genista minor <small>Guillon ex Verl.</small>
- Genista moesiaca <small>Velen.</small>
- Genista mogadorensis <small>Pau</small>
- Genista moleroi <small>Talavera & P.E.Gibbs</small>
- Genista mollis <small>(Cav.) DC.</small>
- Genista montbretii <small>Spach</small>
- Genista multibracteata <small>Tausch</small>
- Genista multicaulis <small>Lam.</small>
- Genista myrtifolia <small>Burm.f.</small>
- Genista nervata <small>Hoppe ex Griseb.</small>
- Genista nigricans <small>(L.) Scheele ex Briq.</small>
- Genista nigricans <small>(L.) E.H.L.Krause</small>
- Genista nitens <small>(Willd.) Steud.</small>
- Genista nitida <small>Formánek</small>
- Genista nodosa <small>Tausch</small>
- Genista notarisii <small>Rouy</small>
- Genista nubigena <small>Link</small>
- Genista nuda <small>(Willd.) Steud.</small>
- Genista obsoleta <small>(Eckl. & Zeyh.) Briq.</small>
- Genista odorata <small>Moench</small>
- Genista odoratissima <small>Spach</small>
- Genista odoratissima <small>Pourr.</small>
- Genista oliverii <small>Spach</small>
- Genista orientalis <small>Spach</small>
- Genista ornithopodioides <small>(Jaub. & Spach) Briq.</small>
- Genista ottomanica <small>Formánek</small>
- Genista ovina <small>Bacch., Brullo & Feoli Chiapella</small>
- Genista palmatiformis <small>Maire & Sennen, in Sennen</small>
- Genista palmiformis <small>(Sennen & Mauricio ex Maire) Maire & Sennen</small>
- Genista parviflora <small>Brot.</small>
- Genista parvifolia <small>G.Don</small>
- Genista pauciflorum <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista pedunculata <small>L'Hér.</small>
- Genista peloponnesiaca <small>Spach</small>
- Genista pendulina <small>Lam.</small>
- Genista persica <small>Poir.</small>
- Genista pestalozzae <small>Boiss.</small>
- Genista petitiana <small>(A.Rich.) Briq.</small>
- Genista philippi <small>Lindl.</small>
- Genista phrygia <small>Bornm.</small>
- Genista pichisermolliana <small>Vals.</small>
- Genista pilocarpa <small>Link</small>
- Genista pinastrifolia <small>Spach</small>
- Genista polygalaefolia <small>DC.</small>
- Genista polygalaephylla <small>Brot.</small>
- Genista polyphylla <small>(Eckl. & Zeyh.) Briq.</small>
- Genista polysperma <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista polytricha <small>Spach</small>
- Genista pomeli <small>Mares & Vigineix</small>
- Genista pomeliana <small>Maire</small>
- Genista pomelii <small>Marès & Vigin.</small>
- Genista postranensis <small>Formánek</small>
- Genista pratensis <small>Pollini</small>
- Genista pseudoumbellata <small>Caball.</small>
- Genista pteroclada <small>(Boiss.) Spach</small>
- Genista pulverulenta <small>Fisch. & C.A.Mey.</small>
- Genista pungens <small>Poir.</small>
- Genista purpurea <small>(Scop.) E.H.L.Krause</small>
- Genista ramentacea <small>(Sieber) Briq.</small>
- Genista ratisbonensis <small>(Schaeff.) E.H.L.Krause</small>
- Genista raymundi <small>Maire & Sennen, in Sennen & Mauricio</small>
- Genista retama <small>G.Nicholson</small>
- Genista rhodophon <small>Webb ex Delile</small>
- Genista rhodorhizoides <small>Webb & Berthel.</small>
- Genista richteri <small>Rouy</small>
- Genista rigens <small>C.Presl</small>
- Genista rosea <small>(Jaub. & Spach) Briq.</small>
- Genista rostrata <small>Poir.</small>
- Genista salditana <small>Pomel</small>
- Genista salesii <small>Sennen</small>
- Genista salicifolia <small>Dippel</small>
- Genista sauzeana <small>(Burnham & Briq.) Rouy</small>
- Genista schimperiana <small>(Hochst.) Briq.</small>
- Genista scolopendria <small>Spach</small>
- Genista scolopendrina <small>Willk.</small>
- Genista scoparia <small>(L.) Lam.</small>
- Genista scoparia <small>Chaix</small>
- Genista scopolii <small>Rouy</small>
- Genista scorpia <small>St.-Lag.</small>
- Genista scorpionia <small>St.-Lag.</small>
- Genista sennenii <small>Font Quer ex Sennen</small>
- Genista sepiaria <small>Lam.</small>
- Genista sessiliflora <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista sigeriana <small>Fuss</small>
- Genista silana <small>Brullo, Gangale & Spamp.</small>
- Genista sophoroides <small>Spach</small>
- Genista spathulata <small>Spach</small>
- Genista sphaerocarpa <small>(L.) Lam.</small>
- Genista spicata <small>Eckl. & Zeyh. ex Meisn.</small>
- Genista spiniflora <small>Lam.</small>
- Genista stenocarpa <small>Janka</small>
- Genista stenophylla <small>Schur</small>
- Genista stipulacea <small>(Eckl. & Zeyh.) Briq.</small>
- Genista stylosa <small>(Spreng.) G.Don</small>
- Genista subsecunda <small>Schur</small>
- Genista subsericans <small>(Bornm.) Rech.f.</small>
- Genista supranubia <small>(L.f.) Spach</small>
- Genista syriaca <small>(Boiss. & Blanche) Boiss. & Blanche</small>
- Genista tamarrutii <small>Caball.</small>
- Genista tchihatchewi <small>Boiss.</small>
- Genista tenella <small>Willk.</small>
- Genista tenorei <small>G.Don</small>
- Genista tenorii <small>Steud.</small>
- Genista tenorii <small>G. Don</small>
- Genista tenuispina <small>Samp.</small>
- Genista thebaica <small>Spach</small>
- Genista thyrsiflora <small>G.Nicholson</small>
- Genista tomentella <small>Boiss. & Noë</small>
- Genista tomentosa <small>Poir.</small>
- Genista transsilvanica <small>Schur</small>
- Genista trigonelloides <small>(Jaub. & Spach) Briq.</small>
- Genista tripolitana <small>Bornm.</small>
- Genista triquetra <small>(Lam.) L'Hér.</small>
- Genista triquetra <small>Willd.</small>
- Genista triquetra <small>Waldst. & Kit.</small>
- Genista tyrrhena <small>Vals.</small>
- Genista undulata <small>Link</small>
- Genista uniflora <small>(Decne.) Briq.</small>
- Genista valdes-bermejoi <small>Talavera & L.Sáez</small>
- Genista valsecchiae <small>Brullo & De Marco</small>
- Genista velutina <small>(Eckl. & Zeyh.) Briq.</small>
- Genista versiflora <small>Tausch</small>
- Genista villosa <small>Lam.</small>
- Genista villosa <small>Spach</small>
- Genista vulgaris <small>Garsault</small>
- Genista vulgaris <small>Gray</small>
- Genista vuralii <small>A.Duran & Dural</small>
- Genista walpersiana <small>Briq.</small>
- Genista weldeniana <small>Scheele</small>
- Genista zeyheri <small>Briq.</small>
Hybrids
The following hybrids have been described:
- Genista ÃÂaltoportillensis <small>Egido & Puente GarcÃÂa</small>
- Genista ÃÂarizagae <small>Elorza et al.</small>
- Genista ÃÂfritschii <small>Rech.</small>
- Genista ÃÂmartinii <small>Verg. & Soulié</small>
- Genista ÃÂnorpalentina <small>J.M.Aparicio et al.</small>
- Genista ÃÂoweniana <small>auct.</small>
- Genista ÃÂrivasgodayana <small>J.Andrés & Llamas</small>
- Genista ÃÂsegurae <small>Uribe-Ech. & Urrutia</small>
- Genista ÃÂuribe-echebarriae <small>Urrutia</small>
References