Genista majorica Cantó & M.J. Sánchez

Spice In the field

Family: LEGUMINOSAE

Genus: Genista

Sinònims: Genista cinerea Vill. subsp. leptoclada (Willk.) Bolòs & Vigo

Catalan common name: Ginesta. Ginestell.

Spanish common name: Hierba de la sarna. Hiniesta. Retama.

Province distribution: Balearic Islands.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Dragonera.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean (Balearic)

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Nanophanerophyte.

Habitats: Rock crevices and cliff faces. Rock creviceses and cliff faces.

Characteristics: A shrub which lives in the cracks in the rocky walls of Mallorcan mountains. It has many long, thin branches; the leaves are very small and spear-shaped. It flowers in a spectacular way in spring dyeing the peaks in the Serra (mountain range) yellow. When it flowers, it can be mistaken from afar for the rocky violet (Hippocrepis balearica), but close up they are two very different plants even though both belong to the same family: Papilionacea. This plant is also known as Genista majorica.