# Calicotome spinosa

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Calicotome_spinosa
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Calicotome_spinosa.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calicotome_spinosa
> Source revision: 1309743349
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Species of legume

Calicotome spinosa Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae Clade: Embryophytes Clade: Tracheophytes Clade: Spermatophytes Clade: Angiosperms Clade: Eudicots Clade: Rosids Order: Fabales Family: Fabaceae Subfamily: Faboideae Genus: Calicotome Species: C. spinosa Binomial name Calicotome spinosa (L.) Link

*Calicotome spinosa* - [MHNT](/source/MHNT)

***Calicotome spinosa***, the **thorny broom** or **spiny broom**, is a very spiny, densely branched [shrub](/source/Shrub) of the family [Fabaceae](/source/Fabaceae) which can reach up to three metres in height. It grows in the Western [Mediterranean](/source/Mediterranean) region on sunny slopes and dry, rocky ground. It is found in [Spain](/source/Spain), [France](/source/France), [Italy](/source/Italy), [Croatia](/source/Croatia), [Morocco](/source/Morocco), [Tunisia](/source/Tunisia), [Libya](/source/Libya), [Algeria](/source/Algeria)[1] and Turkey, and it has been introduced to [New Zealand](/source/New_Zealand). From March to June it produces bright yellow flowers which are borne singly or in small clusters. The seed-pods are 30mm long and are almost hairless, unlike those of the similar species *[Calicotome villosa](/source/Calicotome_villosa)*.

## Plant usages in antiquity

The florets were used in ancient times to flavor sesame oil. [Al-Tamimi, the physician](/source/Al-Tamimi%2C_the_physician) (10th century), describing the process, writes that in [Palestine](/source/Palestine_(region)) it was commonly practiced to collect the yellow florets of the spiny broom ([Arabic](/source/Arabic_language): القندول), spread them upon thickly woven sackcloth which laid out in the hot sun, pour over them hulled sesame seeds and cover them with linen sheets, while leaving them in this condition until the moisture in the florets has evaporated. In this manner, the sesame seeds would absorb the sweet fragrance of the florets. After one or two days, the florets and sesame seeds were then separated, the sesame placed on clean linen garments, being allowed to further dry-out from the moisture absorbed by the florets. This process was repeated up to 3 or 4 times, with a fresh batch of florets set out to dry, until at length the pungent flavor of the florets (resembling the taste of vanilla)[2] had been fully imparted to the sesame seeds. The dried florets were then collected and pressed with the sesame seeds in order to produce a fragrant oil. The oil was formerly stored in glassware vessels, with just enough space left at the top to be sealed with the florets of the spiny broom.[3] Today, the florets are still used by [Bedouins](/source/Bedouins) to flavor butter.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-herbal_1-0)** Guaadaoui, Abdelkarim; El Alami, Ilyass (March–May 2016). ["Contribution to Botanical, Phyto-ecological and Phytochemical Studies of Calicotome villosa (Poiret) Link subsp. intermedia (C. Presl): A Phylogenetic Approach from Moroccan Species"](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303045438). *International Journal of Green and Herbal Chemistry*. **5** (2): 093–111. Retrieved 24 January 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** What is described by al-Tamimi as the aroma of sap which exudes from the Storax tree ([Styrax officinalis](/source/Styrax_officinalis)), or what is called in Arabic *al-mi'ah*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Zohar Amar and Yaron Serri, *The Land of Israel and Syria as Described by al-Tamimi – Jerusalem Physician of the 10th Century*, Ramat-Gan 2004, pp. 119–122 [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [965-226-252-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/965-226-252-8) (Hebrew)

- David Burnie (1995) Wild Flowers of the Mediterranean. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7513-2761-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7513-2761-1)

- [Oleg Polunin](/source/Oleg_Polunin) & B. E. Smythies (1973) Flowers of South-West Europe:a field guide. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-19-217625-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-19-217625-0)

- T. G. Tutin *et al.* (1968) Flora Europaea, Volume 2. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-521-06662-X](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-521-06662-X)

Taxon identifiers Calicotome spinosa Wikidata: Q1550456 Wikispecies: Calicotome spinosa APDB: 146081 APNI: 95315 CoL: PJXG EoL: 703763 EPPO: CCOSP EUNIS: 171250 FoAO2: Calicotome spinosa GBIF: 2956359 GRIN: 8670 iNaturalist: 339416 IPNI: 127578-3 IRMNG: 10757906 NCBI: 194235 NZOR: 4c05553e-5164-45e4-bb52-e91e5c48df5b NZPCN: 3585 Observation.org: 145508 Open Tree of Life: 771279 PfaF: Calicotome spinosa Plant List: ild-8334 POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:127578-3 Tropicos: 13075621 VicFlora: 24f98dce-ec2d-46ab-90cd-2affd96e1c2f WFO: wfo-0000213263 Spartium spinosum Wikidata: Q21877512 APDB: 166331 APNI: 155067 GBIF: 5631296 GRIN: 35197 IPNI: 519114-1 NZOR: 17e26b6a-e0e7-4ed4-9d43-dcfcfd23c233 POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:519114-1 WFO: wfo-0001055091

This Genisteae-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information.

- [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Genisteae-stub)
- [t](/source/Template_talk%3AGenisteae-stub)
- [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Genisteae-stub)

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Calicotome spinosa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calicotome_spinosa) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calicotome_spinosa?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.