Spartium junceum Spanish Broom
Family
Genisteae
Genus
Spartium
Species
junceum
Spartium junceum, commonly known as Spanish broom or weaver's broom, is a species
of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, native to the Mediterranean in southern
Europe, southwest Asia and northwest Africa, where it is found in sunny sites, usually
on dry, sandy soils. It is the sole species in the genus Spartium, but is closely
related to the other brooms in the genera Cytisus and Genista. There are many binomials
in Spartium that are of dubious validity (see below). The Latin specific epithet junceum
means "rush-like", referring to the shoots, which show a passing resemblance to those of
the rush genus Juncus.