Ulex europaeus
Common gorse | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Fabales |
Family: | Fabaceae |
Subfamily: | Faboideae |
Genus: | Ulex |
Species: | U. europaeus
|
Binomial name | |
Ulex europaeus |
Ulex europaeus, the gorse, common gorse, furze or whin, is a
Description
Growing to 2–3 metres (7–10 ft) tall, it is an evergreen shrub. The young stems are green, with the shoots and leaves modified into green spines, 1–3 centimetres (0.39–1.18 in) long.[3] Young seedlings produce normal leaves for the first few months; these are trifoliate, resembling a small clover leaf.
The solitary flowers are yellow, 1–2 centimetres (0.39–0.79 in) long, with the pea-flower structure typical of the Fabaceae; they are produced throughout the year, but mainly over a long period in spring. They are coconut-scented.[3] The fruit is a legume (pod) 2 centimetres (0.79 in) long, dark purplish-brown, partly enclosed by the pale brown remnants of the flower; the pod contains 2–3 small blackish, shiny, hard seeds, which are ejected when the pod splits open in hot weather. Seeds remain viable for 30 years.
Like many species of
Invasive species
The species has been introduced to other areas of Europe, and also to the
Common gorse is also an invasive species in the montane grasslands of Horton Plains National Park in Sri Lanka. It outcompetes native, endemic species and is a fire hazard.[7]
Biological pest control is used on this plant in many areas. The gorse spider mite (Tetranychus lintearius) and the gorse seed weevil (Exapion ulicis) reduce the spread of the plant.
Cultivation
This plant is used for hedging, boundary definition and
Uses
Bruised gorse was used in some areas for feeding to horses and other livestock.[10]
Like other legumes, it fixes nitrogen into the soil.[7]
See also
References
- doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T19891755A86138815.en. Retrieved 17 January 2024.)
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link - ^ "Ulex europaeus L." Kew Science: Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
- ^ ISBN 9781405332965.
- ^ "RHS Plantfinder - Ulex europaeus". Retrieved 1 January 2019.
- ^ "Weeds of National Significance (WONS)". www.environment.gov.au. Commonwealth of Australia – Department of the Environment and Energy. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
- ^ "European gorse | Ulex europaeus – Invasives Species South Africa". 2014-08-19. Archived from the original on 2014-08-19.
- ^ a b Lalith Gunasekera, Invasive Plants: A guide to the identification of the most invasive plants of Sri Lanka, Colombo 2009, p. 88–89.
- ^ "RHS Plant Selector – Ulex europaeus 'Flore Pleno'". RHS. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 103. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
- ^ Aiton, William (1811). General View of The Agriculture of the County of Ayr; observations on the means of its improvement; drawn up for the consideration of the Board of Agriculture, and Internal Improvements, with Beautiful Engravings. Glasgow. p. 441
- PMID 6177923.
- PMID 20060932.
External links
- Washington Burke Museum
- Jepson Manual Treatment
- USDA Plants Profile Archived 2013-04-29 at the Wayback Machine
- Ulex europaeus in the CalPhotos photo database, University of California, Berkeley
- "Ulex europaeus". Calflora. Berkeley, California: The Calflora Database.
- "Ulex europaeus". Plants for a Future.