Spartium

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Spartium
Spartium junceum (habitus).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Tribe: Genisteae
Genus: Spartium
L.
Species:
S. junceum
Binomial name
Spartium junceum
L.
Synonyms

Genus:

  • SpartianthusLink

Species:

  • Cytisus junceus(L.) Vuk.
  • Genista acutifoliaSpach
  • Genista AmericanaSpach
  • Genista hispanicaGarsault
  • Genista juncea(L.) Scop.
  • Genista odorataMoench
  • Genista odoratissimaSpach
  • Spartanthus americanusSteud.
  • Spartanthus junceusLink
  • Spartium acutifoliumLindl.
  • Spartium americanumMeyen
  • Spartium japonicumMiq.
  • Spartium odoratissimumD.Don ex Steud.
  • Spartium odoratumDulac

Spartium junceum, known as Spanish broom, [1] rush broom, or weaver's broom, [2] it is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and the sole species in the genus Spartium. [3] [4] [5] It is closely related to the other brooms (in the genera Cytisus and Genista ).

Contents

Description

Spartium junceum is a vigorous, deciduous shrub growing to 2–4 metres (7–13 feet) tall, rarely 5 m (16 ft), with main stems up to 5 centimetres (2 inches) thick, rarely 10 cm (4 in). It has thick, somewhat succulent grey-green rush-like shoots with very sparse small deciduous leaves 1 to 3 cm (12 to 1+14 in) long and up to 4 millimetres (18 in) broad. The leaves are of little importance to the plant, with much of the photosynthesis occurring in the green shoots (a water-conserving strategy in its dry climate). The leaves fall away early. [6] In late spring and summer shoots are covered in profuse fragrant yellow pea-like flowers 1 to 2 cm across. In late summer, the legumes (seed pods) mature black and reach 8–10 cm (3–4 in) long. They burst open, often with an audible crack, spreading seed from the parent plant.

Taxonomy

The Greek name Spartium given to the genus denotes the use of the plant for 'cordage'. [7] The Latin specific epithet junceum means "rush-like", referring to the shoots, which show a passing resemblance to those of the rush genus Juncus . [8]

Distribution and habitat

This species is native to the Mediterranean in southern Europe, southwest Asia and northwest Africa, [9] where it is found in sunny sites, usually on dry, sandy soils.

As an invasive species

Spartium junceum has been widely introduced into other areas, and is regarded as a noxious invasive species in places with a Mediterranean climate such as California and Oregon, Hawaii, central Chile, southeastern Australia, [10] the Western Cape in South Africa and the Canary Islands and Azores. [9] [11] It was first introduced to California as an ornamental plant. [11] [12]

Toxicity

Few cases have been described of intoxication by the S. junceum, including accidental ingestion of different parts of the plant by children. [13] The alkaloids found in all parts of the plant have toxic effects. They initially provoke a transitory stimulation of nicotinic cholinergic receptors followed by a persistent inhibition caused by desensitization. The sparteine has an effect of the heart, reducing its sensitivity and conductivity. [14]

Symptoms present depending on dose, method of exposure, and time elapsed since exposure; these include irritation of the oral and pharyngeal mucosa, hypersalivation, vomiting, stomach pain and diarrhea. In severe cases, neurological symptoms (such as midriasis, headaches, delirium and convulsions) may be present, as well as hypotension, bradycardia, and coma. [14]

Uses

The plant is used as an ornamental plant in gardens and in landscape plantings. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. [2] [15]

In Bolivia and Peru, where it is known as retama, [9] (not to be confused with the genus Retama ) and has become invasive in some areas. It is one of the most common ornamental plants, often seen growing along sidewalks in La Paz.[ citation needed ]

It has traditionally been used for the production of fiber, especially for tying vines. It is also used as a hedge because of its nitrogen-fixing quality. The plant is also used as a flavoring, and for its essential oil, known as genet absolute. [9] [16] Its fibers have been used for cloth and it produces a yellow dye. [16] [17] The branches are used to make brooms. [18]

Pharmacology

In work carried out on normoglycemic mice at the Faculty of Chemistry of the University of the Republic of Uruguay, the infusion of the flowers were proven to have hypoglycemiant effects. [19] In Turkey, the flowers have been used in traditional medicine to treat ulcers; Turkish studies from 1999 and 2000 have identified a saponin in the plant which has antiulcer properties. [20] [21]

Culture

Spartium junceum has made its way into the ethnobotany of the indigenous Aymara and Quechua cultures, in which it is believed to protect against evil, probably influenced by similar traditions of Hispanic origin.[ citation needed ] In Peru, it is known as retama, qarwash, inca pancara, talhui. [22]

The Peruvian huayno, Flor de Retama, written by Ricardo Dolorier in 1969, references the yellow flower and the Huanta massacre which occurred that year. Subsequently, all retama flowers were removed from the main plaza out of fear of government repression; today, the entrances to Huanta are planted with the flower. [23]

Known in Catalan as ginesta, it has often been regarded as the national flower of Catalonia, sometimes in combination with red poppies. [24]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fabaceae</span> Family of legume flowering plants

The Fabaceae or Leguminosae, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family, are a large and agriculturally important family of flowering plants. It includes trees, shrubs, and perennial or annual herbaceous plants, which are easily recognized by their fruit (legume) and their compound, stipulate leaves. The family is widely distributed, and is the third-largest land plant family in number of species, behind only the Orchidaceae and Asteraceae, with about 765 genera and nearly 20,000 known species.

<i>Laburnum</i> Genus of plants

Laburnum, sometimes called golden chain or golden rain, is a genus of two species of small trees in the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Fabaceae. The species are Laburnum anagyroidescommon laburnum and Laburnum alpinumalpine laburnum. They are native to the mountains of southern Europe from France to the Balkans.

<i>Genista</i> Genus of flowering plants

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.

<i>Retama</i> Genus of legumes

Retama is a genus of flowering bushes in the legume family, Fabaceae. It belongs to the broom tribe, Genisteae. Retama broom bushes are found natively in North Africa, the Levant and some parts of southern Europe. Retama raetam and Retama monosperma have white flowers, while Retama sphaerocarpa has yellow flowers. It remains an open question in taxonomy whether the members of the genus Retama should be incorporated into the genus Genista.

<i>Argyrocytisus</i> Genus of legumes

Argyrocytisus battandieri, the pineapple broom or Moroccan broom is a species of flowering plant in the legume family, Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. It is the only member of the genus Argyrocytisus.

<i>Phaseolus coccineus</i> Species of flowering plant

Phaseolus coccineus, known as runner bean, scarlet runner bean, or multiflora bean, is a plant in the legume family, Fabaceae. Another common name is butter bean, which, however, can also refer to the lima bean, a different species.

<i>Bougainvillea</i> Genus of plants

Bougainvillea is a genus of thorny ornamental vines, bushes, and trees belonging to the four o' clock family, Nyctaginaceae. They are native to Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru, and Argentina. There are between 4 and 22 species in the genus. The inflorescence consists of large colourful sepal-like bracts which surround three simple waxy flowers, gaining popularity for the plant as an ornamental. The plant is named after explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville (1729-1811), after it was documented on one of his expeditions.

<i>Viminaria</i> Genus of plants

Viminaria juncea is the single species in the genus Viminaria endemic to Australia. The genus is in the pea family Fabaceae. It is colloquially known as native broom after its resemblance to the related European broom plants. The Noongar peoples know the plant as koweda.

<i>Abutilon pictum</i> Species of flowering plant

Abutilon pictum, syn. Abutilon striatum (disputed), is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae. It is native to southern Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. The plant has become naturalised in Central America, and is used in horticulture. Common names include redvein abutilon, red vein Indian mallow, redvein flowering maple, Chinese-lantern and red vein Chinese lanterns.

<i>Erythrina crista-galli</i> Species of legume

Erythrina crista-galli, also known as the cockspur coral tree, ceibo or corticeira, is a species of flowering tree in the family Fabaceae, native to Argentina, Uruguay, southern Brazil and Paraguay. It is widely planted as a street or garden tree in other countries, notably in California. Its specific epithet crista-galli means "cock's comb" in Latin.

<i>Scilla peruviana</i> Species of flowering plant

Scilla peruviana, the Portuguese squill, is a species of Scilla native to the western Mediterranean region in Iberia, Italy, and northwest Africa. It is a bulb-bearing herbaceous perennial plant. The bulb is 6–8 cm in diameter, white with a covering of brown scales. The leaves are linear, 20–60 cm long and 1–4 cm broad, with 5-15 leaves produced each spring. The flowering stem is 15–40 cm tall, bearing a dense pyramidal raceme of 40-100 flowers; each flower is blue, 1–2 cm in diameter, with six tepals. The foliage dies down in summer, re-appearing in the autumn.

<i>Genista aetnensis</i> Species of flowering plant

Genista aetnensis, the Mount Etna broom, is a species of flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae. It is a large shrub or small tree endemic to Sicily and Sardinia where it is associated with sunny, open landscapes and poor, stony soil. It is a very common constituent of the garigue plant communities, Mediterranean shrubby vegetation, around the lower slopes of Mount Etna, hence its Latin specific epithet aetnensis.

<i>Salvia candelabrum</i> Species of plant in the family Lamiaceae

Salvia candelabrum is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to southern Spain. It is a woody-based perennial growing to 100 cm (39 in), with woolly grey-green leaves that resemble those of the common sage, S. officinalis, and emit a similar scent when crushed. In summer it bears violet-blue flowers on branching stems held high above the foliage.

<i>Genista canariensis</i> Species of flowering plant

Genista canariensis is a species of flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae, known by the common names Canary broom, Canary Islands broom or florist's genista. It is native to the Canary Islands, but it grows as an introduced species in mainland Europe, especially Spain, and on other continents. It has been introduced to California and Washington State in the US. This is a vigorous upright evergreen shrub growing to 3 m (9.8 ft) tall by 1.5 m (4.9 ft) broad, with hairy green stems. The leaves are made up of oval-shaped blue-green leaflets each up to a centimeter long and densely hairy on the undersides. The raceme inflorescence holds up to 20 bright yellow pea-like flowers. The fruit is a legume pod one to two centimeters long containing several dark brown seeds.

Acmispon junceus, synonyms Lotus junceus and Syrmatium junceum, is a species of legume native to California. It is known by the common names rush broom and rush deervetch. It is endemic to California, where it is known from the northern and central coast and the coastal mountain ranges. It can be found from beaches inland to serpentine slopes and chaparral. It is a hairy, prostrate or spreading perennial herb lined with leaves each made up of small oval leaflets. The inflorescence bears up 8 yellow pealike flowers each up to about a centimeter long. The fruit is a small beaked legume pod.

<i>Lespedeza thunbergii</i> Species of legume

Lespedeza thunbergii is a species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common names Thunberg's bushclover, Thunberg's lespedeza, and shrub lespedeza. It is native to the eastern Himalayas, China, Korea, and Japan.

<i>Cytisus nigricans</i> Species of legume

Cytisus nigricans, the black broom, is a species of flowering plant in the subfamily Faboideae of the family Fabaceae. Growing 3–5 ft (0.91–1.52 m) tall, it is a slender deciduous shrub with erect branches. Masses of brilliant yellow, slightly fragrant pea-like flowers appear in long racemes on the current year's growth in summer and early autumn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Genisteae</span> Tribe of legumes

Genisteae is a tribe of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants in the subfamily Faboideae of the family Fabaceae. It includes a number of well-known plants including broom, lupine (lupin), gorse and laburnum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martina Portocarrero</span> Peruvian folk singer and politician (1949–2022)

Martina Portocarrero was a Peruvian folk singer, cultural researcher, and politician. She was an interpreter of huaynos and mulizas, as well as a researcher of Andean culture. Portocarrero was posthumously honored by the Peruvian government as Personalidad Meritoria de la Cultura. During her political career, she ran unsuccessfully for various positions as a member of FREPAP, Broad Front, and Free Peru.

<i>Genista florida</i> Species of flowering plant

Genista florida is a species of flowering plant belonging to the family Fabaceae.

References

  1. NRCS. "Spartium junceum". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  2. 1 2 "RHS Plant Selector - Spartium junceum" . Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  3. "ILDIS LegumeWeb entry for Spartium". International Legume Database & Information Service. Cardiff School of Computer Science & Informatics. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  4. USDA; ARS; National Genetic Resources Program. "GRIN species records of Spartium". Germplasm Resources Information Network—(GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  5. "The Plant List entry for Spartium". The Plant List . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Missouri Botanical Garden. 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  6. Jepson Manual Treatment
  7. "A Modern Herbal | Broom, Spanish". www.botanical.com. Retrieved 2021-04-03.
  8. A–Z encyclopedia of garden plants. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley in association with the Royal Horticultural Society. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN   978-1405332965.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Spartium junceum". Germplasm Resources Information Network . Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture . Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  10. "The NSW Government WeedWise Resource from the Department of Primary Industries".
  11. 1 2 US Forest Service Fire Ecology
  12. Element Stewardship: S. junceum
  13. Martínez Monseny, A.; Martínez Sánchez, L.; Margarit Soler, A.; Trenchs Sainz de la Maza, V.; Luaces Cubells, C. (2015-05-01). "Poisonous plants: An ongoing problem". Anales de Pediatría (English Edition). 82 (5): 347–353. doi:10.1016/j.anpede.2014.08.006. ISSN   2341-2879.
  14. 1 2 Tesouro Rodríguez, L.; Saiz Rodríguez, I.; Molina Gutiérrez, M.A.; Rivas Paterna, M.A.; López López, R.; Bueno Barriocanal, M. (December 2014). "Intoxicación por Spartium junceum (Spanish broom)". Anales de Pediatría (in Spanish). 81 (6): e32–e33. doi:10.1016/j.anpedi.2013.12.008. ISSN   1695-4033. PMID   24582126.
  15. "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 99. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  16. 1 2 "FAO". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2010-08-13.
  17. botanical.com
  18. Macía, Manuel J. (2006). Moraes R., Mónica (ed.). "Las plantas de fibra". Botánica económica de los Andes centrales (in Spanish). Universidad Mayor de San Andrés: 378. ISBN   9789995401214. OCLC   192083315.
  19. Hipoglucemiantes -agentes : aloxano y plantas en general, acción hipoglucemiante de flor de retama (Saprtium junceum), Biblioteca-FQ, 1990, retrieved 2024-01-18
  20. Yeşilada, E.; Takaishi, Y. (August 1999). "A saponin with anti-ulcerogenic effect from the flowers of Spartium junceum". Phytochemistry. 51 (7): 903–908. Bibcode:1999PChem..51..903Y. doi:10.1016/s0031-9422(99)00198-3. ISSN   0031-9422. PMID   10423862.
  21. Yeşilada, E.; Takaishi, Y.; Fujita, T.; Sezik, E. (June 2000). "Anti-ulcerogenic effects of Spartium junceum flowers on in vivo test models in rats". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 70 (3): 219–226. doi:10.1016/s0378-8741(99)00180-4. ISSN   0378-8741. PMID   10837986.
  22. Alarco de Zadra, Adriana (2000). Perú: El libro de las plantas mágicas (in Spanish) (2nd ed.). p. 195. OCLC   45860046.
  23. Reynoso, Christian (2009-11-15). "Dolorier y la flor de Retama: pólvora y dinamita del corazón". Los Andes. Retrieved 2024-01-18.
  24. (in Catalan) La ginesta, flor nacional de Catalunya