''Calicotome villosa'', also known as hairy thorny broom and spiny broom, is a small shrubby tree native to the Mediterranean region.

Etymology

''Calicotome'' is derived from the Greek ''Kalux'', calyx and ''tomos'', cut ; this refers to the fact that, after flowering, the calyx breaks off in circle and looks as if cut. ''Villosa'' is derived from the Latin ''villus'', hair, because the pods are usually hairy.

Description

Shrubby tree, 1–2 m, very spiny. Twigs striate, villous. Leaves digitate, with three leaflets, inserted in clusters on branchlets. Flowers inserted in the middle of the leaves on branchlets. Calyx campanulate, puberulent, with margins almost entire. Corolla 10–12 mm, bright yellow. Standard ample, longer than other parts. Pod densely villous. The tree blossoms in January through April.

Habitat

Rocky hillsides and bushy places. The tree is found in the Mediterranean region from

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...

and

Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocc ...

east to the

Levant The Levant ( ) is the subregion that borders the Eastern Mediterranean, Eastern Mediterranean sea to the west, and forms the core of West Asia and the political term, Middle East, ''Middle East''. In its narrowest sense, which is in use toda ...

Usage in antiquity

The florets were used in ancient times to flavor sesame oil.

Al-Tamimi, the physician Muhammad ibn Sa'id al-Tamimi (), (died 990), known by his kunya, "Abu Abdullah," but more commonly as Al-Tamimi, was a tenth-century physician, who came to renown on account of his medical works. Born in Jerusalem, Al-Tamimi spent his early yea ...

(10th century), describing the process, writes that in

Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...

it was commonly practiced to collect the yellow florets of the spiny broom (), spread them upon thickly woven sackcloth laid out in the hot sun, pour over them hulled sesame seeds and cover them with linen sheets, while leaving them until the moisture 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) 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. Today, the florets are still used by Arabs of the country to flavor butter.Nissim Krispil, ''Medicinal Plants in Israel and Throughout the World - the Complete Guide'', Or Yehuda (Israel) 2000, p.204

References

*Mustapha Nehmeh, Wild flowers of Lebanon,National Council For Scientific Research,1978. *Georges Tohme& Henriette Tohme, IIIustrated Flora of Lebanon, National Council For Scientific Research, Second Edition 2014. {{Taxonbar, from=Q2259953

villosa ''Villosa'' is a genus of freshwater mussels, aquatic bivalve molluscs in the family Unionidae. Species Species within the genus ''Villosa'': * '' Villosa amygdala'' * '' Villosa arkansasensis'' - Ouachita creekshell * '' Villosa choctawensi ...

Flora of Algeria Flora of Lebanon and Syria Flora of Tunisia Flora of Portugal Flora of Palestine (region)