Spartium junceum
Spartium junceum L.
| Order | Fabales |
|---|---|
| Family | Fabaceae |
| Genus | Spartium |
2n = 48-52
Origin : Mediterranean area
wild and cultivated
| English | {{{english}}} |
|---|---|
| French | {{{french}}} |
Contents
Description
Popular names
Classification
Spartium junceum L. (1753)
synonyms:
- Genista juncea (L.) Scop. (1771)
possible confusions :
- other plants known as sparte or spart :
- Macrochloa tenacissima (Loefl. ex L.) Kunth (syn.: Stipa tenacissima Loefl. ex L.).
- Lygeum spartum Loefl. ex L.
- other plants called genêt and used for brooms :
- Cytisus scoparius (L.) Link [Sarothamnus scoparius (L.) Wimm. ex W. D. J. Koch].
Cultivars
History
Uses
- fiber
The entire stems can be used as ties (for grapevine), or bundled as brooms.
The fiber can be extracted and processed into textiles. Raw textiles are used for wrapping agricultural products, and fine textiles give linen.
A factory in Aspiran (Hérault, France) processed the fiber from 1942 to 1960, and sowing of Spanish broom was encouraged in the arid areas of Lodève and Clermont-l'Hérault (Hérault), characterized by a deep red clay called ruffes.
- fodder
The green foliage was eaten by sheep and goats, but when eaten alone in big quantities, it can be noxious.
- medicinal
Several uses are documented, but the plant is highly toxic (particularly flowers, seeds).
- ornemental
The plant is commonly grown in gardens up to temperate areas, due to its beautiful flowers and shape.
References
- Aussel, Pierre, 1986-1987. La toile de la maison ou l'or des ruffes. Etudes sur l'Hérault, 3.
- Aussel, Pierre & Parado, Claude. Autrefois la toile de genêt au cœur de l'Hérault. on line at Tela Botanica
- Broussonnet, Pierre, 1787. Observation sur la culture et les usages économiques du genêt d'Espagne. Journal du Languedoc, 15 février 1787.
- Olivier, Sylvain , 2005. Le genêt textile (XVIIe-XIXe siècle). Une dynamique agricole en Lodévois. Histoire & Sociétés Rurales, 23(1): 137-168. on line.
- Olivier, Sylvain (dir.), Llaty, Catherine, Chabal, Lucie, Cullin-Mingaud, Magali, Durand, Aline, Jaudon, Bruno, Martin, Philippe, Vallat, François, Bernard, Régine, Boucherat, Toomaï, 2009. Le genêt textile. Plante sauvage, plante cultivée. (Les cahiers du Lodévois-Larzac, 34). Lodève, Communauté de communes Lodévois & Larzac. 144 p. A scholar and excellent synthesis about industrial use of Spanish broom as a fiber in Hérault (France).
- Perdomo, Molina, Antonio y Cubas Hernández, Fátima, 2002. Las fibras vegetales utilizadas tradicionalmente en el cultivo de la viña en Canarias. Una visión etnográfica y geográfica. IV Jornadas Técnicas Vitivinícolas de Canarias
