Rank Genus | Subfamily Faboideae Scientific name Retama Higher classification Broom | |
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American snout butterflies in a retama tree
Retama is a genus of flowering bushes in the legume family, Fabaceae. It belongs to the broom tribe, Genisteae. Retama broom bushes are found natively in North Africa, the Levant and some parts of southern Europe. Retama raetam and Retama monosperma have white flowers, while Retama sphaerocarpa has yellow flowers. It remains an open question in taxonomy whether the members of the Retama genus should be incorporated into the genus Genista (see Genisteae).
Contents
- American snout butterflies in a retama tree
- Systematics
- Species
- Species names with uncertain taxonomic status
- References
The species contain cytisine, a toxic alkaloid.
In the Spanish language the name "retama" is in common use for broom bushes in general, includingthe genus Retama.
Systematics
The name Lygos was once used for Retama. Michel Adanson described and classified the genus referencing to the Greek plant “lygos” and to Pedanius Dioscorides. In ancient Greek language lygos (λύγος) was the name of the plant Vitex agnus-castus (chaste tree) or willow or other plants with pliant twigs. The same word (in some cases Latinized as Lygus) was used in botany and zoology for various taxonomic groups as a component of names, e.g. Lygodysodea, Lygisyum, Lygistum, Lygodesmia etc.
Species
Retama comprises the following species:
Species names with uncertain taxonomic status
The status of the following species is unresolved:
