Calicotome spinosa (L.) Link

Spice Flower In the field

Family: LEGUMINOSAE

Genus: Calicotome

Sinònims: Calicotome spinosa (L.) Link subsp. spinosa

Catalan common name: Argelaga. Argelaga vera. Bàlec. Gatosa negra.

Spanish common name: Aliaga. Aulaga negra. Retama espinosa.

Province distribution: Alacant. Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Castelló. Girona. Tarragona. València.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca. Ibiza.

General distribution (Phytogeography): West Mediterranean

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Nanophanerophyte. Semicaducifolious.

Habitats: Wild olive trees and other sclerophyllous shrublands. Juniperus phoenicea subsp. turbinata forest. Tree heather maquis and silicolous garigues. Pine wood and shrubland with rosemary and thyme garigue. Garriques.

Characteristics: Spiny broom is one of the most known plants, because of its thorns and because of its abundance in certain places (above all if there has been a forest fire). It can be distinguished from another broom (Genista lucida) because this broom flowers earlier on, practically in winter, whereas spiny broom flowers in spring; moreover spiny broom has petiolated leaves and Genista cinerea is practically leafless; the calyx of spine broom looks like a goblet (only the bottom part remains after flowering).