Several  fragrant, bright yellow 1-inch flowers form near the ends of branches; they are very attractive to pollinators.  Blackstar Canyon Road, Silverado, CA. 4-8-12. © Joan Avise.

Spanish Broom

Spartium junceum

An invasive 5-9 ft. tall perennial legume native to the Mediterranean, southwest Asia and northwest Africa.  Introduced to California as an ornamental and along roadsides in the mountains.

The only species in this genus, often confused with Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius) which it grossly resembles, but easily differentiated by the leaf: S. junceum is simple, C. scoparius has 3 leaflets (Clarke).

Most common in Santa Ana Mountains, less so along dry streams, Santiago Creek, South Laguna, and San Juan Capistrano (Roberts). The plant is used as a flavoring, and for its essential oil, known as Genet Absolute. Its stem fibers have been used for making cloth; the flowers produce a yellow dye (Wikipedia). Flowering April-June.

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Blackstar Canyon Road, Silverado, CA. 4-8-12. © Joan Avise.

This shrub has erect, thick, little-branched, gray-green, rush-like stems with sparse, small, simple, deciduous leaves. Most photosynthesis is done by the stems, not the leaves which fall away in summer.  Blackstar Canyon Road, Silverado, CA. 4-8-12. © Joan Avise.

Developing legumes (seed pods with placentas on only one side). Blackstar Canyon Road, Silverado, CA. 4-8-12. © Joan Avise.

Thick stems; developing fruits (legumes). Blackstar Canyon Road, Silverado, CA. 4-8-12. © Joan Avise.

Blackstar Canyon Road, Silverado, CA. 4-8-12. © Joan Avise.

Blackstar Canyon Road, Silverado, CA. 4-8-12. © Joan Avise.

Banner, left; 2 wings with keel between. Blackstar Canyon Road, Silverado, CA. 4-8-12. © Joan Avise.

Five petals, the upper-most termed the banner (left) being the largest and most conspicuous.  Two side petals (right) termed wings. The two lower petals form the boat-like keel, and are usually fused together at the lower margins (apex). They house the reproductive structures. One elongated superior ovary with a curved style (center); nine stamens with fused filaments, and a 10th which is free. Pollinating insects cause the hinged keel to deflex when they land.  This exposes the reproductive structures to the underside of the insect, depositing pollen and allowing pollen previously collected to reach the stigma. Blackstar Canyon Road, Silverado, CA. 4-8-12. © Joan Avise.

The fruit is a soft hairy green pod that turns dark brown in late summer. The mature pod bursts open with a loud crack ejecting seed from the plant, leaving the empty cork-screw shaped shell attached to the stem.  Blackstar Canyon Road, Silverado, CA. 4-8-12. © Joan Avise.

Sparse, simple, deciduous. Blackstar Canyon Road, Silverado, CA. 4-8-12. © Joan Avise.

A 5-9 ft. perennial shrub. Blackstar Canyon Road, Silverado, CA. 4-8-12. © Joan Avise.

Upper Newport Bay, Big Cyn. and Back Bay Dr., 5-16-13. © Ron Vanderhoff.

Upper Newport Bay, Big Cyn. and Back Bay Dr., 5-16-13. © Ron Vanderhoff.

Upper Newport Bay, Big Cyn. and Back Bay Dr., 5-16-13. © Ron Vanderhoff.

Off Long Cyn. Rd., sbout .5 mi SSW Blue Jay entrance, 7-3-16. © Ron Vanderhoff.