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Cytisus scoparius (L.) Link
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Cytisus scoparius (Broom; syn. Sarothamnus scoparius) is a species in the pea family Fabaceae. It is native to much of Europe, from the British Isles east to southern Scandinavia, south to Iberia, and east to Belarus and Romania. Further northeast, its range is limited by its lack of tolerance of severe winter cold, with temperatures below around -25° to -30°C killing the stems. It is a woody shrub with green photosynthetic shoots, and small caducous leaves present only in spring and early summer. The leaves are simple or trifoliate, 5-15 mm long. Young shoots remain green for several years, silky-hairy at first, and have up to five small longitudinal ridges. Older stems have finely flaky to stringy grey-brown bark. The flowers are bright yellow, 1-2 cm long in bud opening to 2-3 cm long, with the typical pea flower structure; they are produced in mid spring to early summer and are pollinated by bees. The seeds are 3-4 mm diameter, produced in a 2-5 cm long pod, green ripening black. Seed dispersal starts with explosive pod splitting in hot sunny weather, and is continued further by ants, which feed on the small fleshy peduncle at the base of the seed. The seeds are long-persistent in the soil (up to 20-30 years); this can enable the species to survive periodic bush fires, and also to survive in colder regions of northeastern Europe (southern Scandinavia, Poland, etc.) where periodical severe winters may kill the entire adult population.
There are two subspecies, which differ mainly in growth habit:
* Cytisus scoparius subsp. scoparius (Common Broom). An erect shrub, growing to 2-3 metres (rarely 4 m) tall; shoots thinly hairy at first, soon becoming glabrous. This is the common form, occuring throught most of the species range.
* Cytisus scoparius subsp. maritimus (Rouy) Heywood (Prostrate Broom). A prostrate, ground-hugging shrub, not exceeding half a metre in height; shoots densely silky-hairy. It is restricted to the Atlantic coasts of southern Ireland, west Wales, southwestern England, and northwestern France.
Broom (primarily subsp. scoparius) is widely cultivated as a garden plant, and for wildlife benefit. The Andreanus Group cultivars are particularly popular, selected for their bright orange-red to pink flowers. It is also naturalised, and sometimes an invasive weed species, in parts of Australia, New Zealand, India, and North America.
The English name derives from its historical use in the manufacture of brooms, as the harvested twigs retain a degree of flexibility in use without becoming brittle. A number of other English names, some of them offensive, have been applied to the species outside of its native range.
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Rights holder/Author | Michаel Frаnkis, Michаel Frаnkis |
Source | No source database. |
More info on this topic.
This species can be found in the following regions of the western United States (according to the Bureau of Land Management classification of Physiographic Regions of the western United States):
BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS [10]:
1 Northern Pacific Border
2 Cascade Mountains
3 Southern Pacific Border
4 Sierra Mountains
5 Columbia Plateau
8 Northern Rocky Mountains
Foodplant / miner
larva of Agromyza johannae mines leaf of Cytisus scoparius
Other: major host/prey
Foodplant / gall
larva of Apion atratulum causes gall of young stem of Cytisus scoparius
Other: major host/prey
Foodplant / internal feeder
larva of Apion fuscirostre feeds within pod of Cytisus scoparius
Other: sole host/prey
Foodplant / gall
larva of Apion immune causes gall of young stem of Cytisus scoparius
Other: sole host/prey
In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Foodplant / parasite
Arnaudiella genistae parasitises Cytisus scoparius
Foodplant / sap sucker
nymph of Asciodema obsoleta sucks sap of Cytisus scoparius
Foodplant / miner
larva of Bruchidius cisti mines pod wall of Cytisus scoparius
Foodplant / feeds on
adult of Bruchidius villosus feeds on pollen of Cytisus scoparius
Remarks: season: late 4
Foodplant / open feeder
larva of Calomicrus circumfusus grazes on leaf of Cytisus scoparius
Foodplant / saprobe
erumpent pycnidium of Camarosporium coelomycetous anamorph of Camarosporium spartii is saprobic on dead branch of Cytisus scoparius
Foodplant / feeds on
pycnidium of Coniothyrium coelomycetous anamorph of Coniothyrium sarothamni feeds on Cytisus scoparius
Plant / resting place / on
adult of Cryptocephalus bipunctatus may be found on Cytisus scoparius
Remarks: season: 4-late 8
Plant / resting place / on
adult of Cryptocephalus sexpunctatus may be found on Cytisus scoparius
Remarks: season: 5-7
Foodplant / miner
larva of Cryptolestes spartii mines dead branch of Cytisus scoparius
Foodplant / saprobe
densely gregarius, plurilocular stroma of Cytospora coelomycetous anamorph of Cytospora sarothamni is saprobic on branch (rather thick) of Cytisus scoparius
Remarks: season: 2-4
Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Dacrymyces minor is saprobic on decayed wood of Cytisus scoparius
Foodplant / sap sucker
nymph of Dictyonota fuliginosa sucks sap of bush (old, many podded) of Cytisus scoparius
Foodplant / sap sucker
nymph of Dictyonota strichnocera sucks sap of Cytisus scoparius
Foodplant / feeds on
pycnidium of Diplodia coelomycetous anamorph of Diplodia saccardiana var. anglica feeds on Cytisus scoparius
Foodplant / feeds on
pycnidium of Diplodia coelomycetous anamorph of Diplodia sarothamni feeds on Cytisus scoparius
Plant / associate
Dryophilus anobioides is associated with Cytisus scoparius
Foodplant / saprobe
effuse colony of Endophragmiella dematiaceous anamorph of Endophragmiella lignicola is saprobic on rotten wood of Cytisus scoparius
Foodplant / parasite
conidial anamorph of Erysiphe trifolii parasitises live Cytisus scoparius
Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Flammulina velutipes var. velutipes is saprobic on dead wood of Cytisus scoparius
Remarks: season: mainly winter
Foodplant / feeds on
Gonioctena olivacea feeds on Cytisus scoparius
Foodplant / feeds on
Heterocordylus genistae feeds on Cytisus scoparius
Other: minor host/prey
Foodplant / feeds on
nymph of Heterocordylus tibialis feeds on Cytisus scoparius
Other: major host/prey
Foodplant / gall
larva of Hexomyza sarothamni causes gall of twig of Cytisus scoparius
Other: sole host/prey
Foodplant / internal feeder
larva of Hylastinus obscurus feeds within cambium of Cytisus scoparius
Foodplant / feeds on
larva of Odontothrips cytisi feeds on live flower of Cytisus scoparius
Remarks: season: 6
Foodplant / feeds on
Orthotylus adenocarpi feeds on patchily white leaf (young) of Cytisus scoparius
Other: major host/prey
Foodplant / feeds on
Orthotylus concolor feeds on patchily white leaf (young) of Cytisus scoparius
Other: major host/prey
Foodplant / feeds on
Orthotylus virescens feeds on patchily white leaf (young) of Cytisus scoparius
Other: major host/prey
Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Pellidiscus pallidus is saprobic on dead, decayed branch of Cytisus scoparius
Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Peniophora incarnata is saprobic on dead, attached branch (small) of Cytisus scoparius
Foodplant / internal feeder
larva of Phloeophthorus rhododactylus feeds within stem of Cytisus scoparius
Foodplant / pathogen
effuse colony of Pleiochaeta dematiaceous anamorph of Pleiochaeta setosa infects and damages cankered shoot (older) of Cytisus scoparius
Other: minor host/prey
Foodplant / feeds on
Polydrusus confluens feeds on Cytisus scoparius
Foodplant / saprobe
fruitbody of Postia tephroleuca is saprobic on dead, fallen, decayed wood of Cytisus scoparius
Other: unusual host/prey
Foodplant / open feeder
nocturnal larva of Rhogogaster genistae grazes on leaf of Cytisus scoparius
Other: major host/prey
Foodplant / open feeder
nocturnal larva of Rhogogaster picta grazes on leaf of Cytisus scoparius
Other: sole host/prey
Foodplant / feeds on
imago of Sitona griseus feeds on Cytisus scoparius
Foodplant / feeds on
larva of Sitona regensteinensis feeds on root nodule of Cytisus scoparius
Foodplant / feeds on
larva of Sitona striatellus feeds on Cytisus scoparius
Other: major host/prey
Plant / associate
Strophosoma capitatum is associated with Cytisus scoparius
Plant / associate
Tychius parallelus is associated with Cytisus scoparius
The native range of Cytisus scoparius is widespread throughout Europe. Its range is as far north as southern Sweden, as far east as Central Ukraine, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the west and the Mediterranean Sea to the south.(Frodin and Heywood, 1968) Cytisus scoparius is an invasive species to North America, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. In the United States, its naturalized distribution in the states west of the Rocky Mountains span from California to Montana to Washington. In the Eastern United States it occurs east of the Mississippi River from Michigan to Alabama and from Georgia to Maine (USDA, 2011). Internationally Broom is significant problem in Southern Australia, and the east and west coasts of Canada, Southern Africa, South America (Argentina, Chile and Bolivia), Russia, China, and India (ILDIS 2005).
Cytisus scoparius is prey of:
Bruchidius ater
Apion fuscirostre
Contarina pulchripes
Clinodiplosis sarothamni
Asphondylia sarothamni
Phytodecta olivacea
Sitona regensteinensis
Chesias legatella
Chesias rufata
Acyrthosiphon spartii
Aphis sarathamni
Arytaina spartii
Arytaina genistae
Ptezodoratus lituratus
Apion immune
Leucoptera spartifoliella
Phoeophthorus rhododactylus
Halystinus obscurus
Orthotylus adenocarpi
Orthotylus virescens
Orthotylus concolor
Heterocordylus tibialis
Asciodema obsoletum
Trotteria sarothamni
This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Cynthia Sims Parr, Joel Sachs, SPIRE |
Source | http://spire.umbc.edu/fwc/ |
Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 9
Specimens with Barcodes: 19
Species With Barcodes: 1
Chile Central
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Rights holder/Author | Pablo Gutierrez, IABIN |
Source | No source database. |
More info for the terms: cover, density, fire management, fire regime, fire severity, frequency, fuel, natural, nonnative species, prescribed fire, restoration, selection, severity, shrubs, wildfire
Postfire colonization potential: There is very little information on the postfire colonization potential of either Scotch broom or Portuguese broom. However, due to their ability to sprout following aboveground damage, and to the scarifying effects of heat on their seed, wherever brooms are or have been present in or adjacent to burned areas, managers should expect brooms to establish and/or spread in the postfire environment.
Use of fire to restore Oregon white oak woodlands in Washington may promote establishment and spread of Scotch broom especially on marginal sites, although this relationship is not entirely clear [107].
Fire as a control agent: Prescribed fire has been used in programs to control brooms and common gorse in Australia and New Zealand (e.g. [36,110]) and in North America (e.g. [18]) for many years with varied results. The successful use of fire to control broom species depends on the condition of the invaded community and the fire regime to which those native species are adapted (see Fire Ecology). Although a single prescribed fire can substantially reduce Scotch broom cover, follow-up treatment is needed to treat seedlings that emerge from the soil seed bank after fire. Agee [1] recommends a 2nd, "less intense" fire 2 to 3 years later, before Scotch broom seedlings begin to flower. Spot treatment, such as using a flamethrower in the winter, can remove remaining Scotch broom seedlings [1]. Repeated prescribed fire has been used to control French broom and associated Scotch broom in many locations in California for several years. Prescribed fire has also been used extensively on Fort Lewis Military Reservation in the Puget Trough of Washington to remove invading woody species (including Scotch broom) and maintain native species in Oregon white oak woodlands and Idaho fescue prairies, with mixed success [23,134,137]. Fire is also used to control Scotch broom in Australia and New Zealand (e.g. [36]). There are no reports on the use of fire to control Portuguese broom. Prescribed fire is effective in reducing the broom seed bank through direct mortality and stimulation of germination, and can be used to treat dense monocultures. A flame thrower or propane torch can be used for spot treatment of individual plants [160].
Fire alone cannot control Scotch broom, but if used as part of an integrated strategy it can be effective. As fire is the only method that can directly remove broom stands and deplete the soil seed bank, it can provide a window to manage Scotch broom before the stand regenerates [36]. When prescribed fire is used to stimulate Scotch broom germination from the seed bank, follow-up treatments such as subsequent controlled burns, spot burning, revegetation with fast growing native species, herbicide treatments, grazing, and hand-pulling can be used to kill seedlings and thus reduce the seed bank [17,36,110,160]. Selection of postfire strategies is important in enabling native species to establish and recover [110].
Timing prescribed fire appropriately can optimize results and minimize follow-up treatments. When areas are burned in summer, emerging seedlings are likely to be exposed to harsh, dry conditions, increasing likelihood of seedling mortality [160]. Additionally, Scotch broom is least likely to sprout if top-growth is removed in mid-summer [143]. However, permitting considerations may not allow for prescribed fires during this season.
Prescribed burning is most successful for controlling brooms when desirable vegetation establishes after fire. For example in Australia, Scotch broom seedling survival is reduced by grass cover, which can be encouraged by selective postfire treatments [36]. According to Keeley and Fotheringham [64], prescribed burning for restoration of North American mediterranean shrublands may be useful if accompanied by vigorous revegetation with native shrubs and herbs. In general, however, there are few places where fire-dependent shrublands are threatened by lack of fire, and few instances where prescribed burning is needed for natural resource benefits; it is most often used for fire hazard reduction. Negative impacts may arise from prescribed burning and fuel manipulations such as fuel breaks, which are potential corridors for nonnative species invasions into wildland areas [64]. While repeated prescribed burning is capable of substantially reducing cover and seed banks of brooms, they are invariably replaced with nonnative annuals (D'Antonio, personal communication in [63]).
Repeated prescribed burns are conducted in dense broom stands in invaded prairies and Oregon oak woodlands in Washington to reduce frequency and density of Scotch broom. In order to be effective, prescribed fire must be applied frequently enough to prevent fuel buildup, which threatens Oregon oak overstories, but not so frequently that nonnative herbaceous species are favored over native species [134,137]. In a study at Fort Lewis, Scotch broom cover averaged 61.6% before burning in September 1994 and March 1995. The September fire burned more of the stand, caused significantly (P=0.05) greater mortality, and resulted in significantly less sprouting than the spring fire. The fall fire resulted in significantly less density and cover of mature broom plants and had no effect on seedling density. The patchy spring fire significantly reduced postfire seedling density, but had no other significant effects. The authors concluded that several cycles of prescribed fire would be required to "restore the balanced fire regime" to Fort Lewis prairies [137].
Some fire preparation methods include cutting the shrubs, leaving the slash on site, and allowing it to cure before burning. This method allows for a higher severity fire than burning uncut stands, possibly resulting in greater mortality of shrubs and seeds. Follow-up treatment of sprouts and seedlings is still important. For example, early work on Scotch broom control in a subalpine habitat in Australia in the late 1970s employed hand-slashing of broom, heaping the slash over the site, and burning it when dry to improve effectiveness and of the burn. With "high-intensity" fire, a "very good" kill was achieved, and some seed was incinerated. Emergence from the remaining seed in the seed bank resulted in high seedling densities within 12 months. The control program was unsuccessful, however, due to logistical constraints that precluded follow-up treatments [24]. The most effective removal treatment of Scotch broom on the El Dorado Forest in the Sierra Nevada foothills was cutting shrubs in September and October, allowing cut shrubs to dry on site, and then burning dried shrubs in late May and early June. This killed sprouts and most of the seed within the top 1 inch (2.5 cm) of soil. Seeds within 1.6 inches (2 cm) of the soil surface were scarified by heat, germinated within 2 weeks, and died during the summer drought period. This reduced the amount of seed in the soil by 97%, and although some seed remained below 2 inches (5 cm) in ant nests, the reduction in the seed bank decreased the need for chemical or hand removal of new seedlings in succeeding years. Follow-up monitoring and treatment using this same combination of methods in a coastal area of Redwood National Park reduced the seed bank by only 52% and did not substantially reduce the time spent in follow-up control. The moister climate decreased the efficacy of this removal combination at Redwood National Park ([17], and references therein). Burning uncut Scotch broom is used with some success on Angel Island, California. Reburning the removal site is usually necessary 2 and 4 years after the initial burn (Boyd, personal communication in [17]).
A better understanding of fire severity requirements in relation to soil conditions and moisture regimes is needed to develop a fire management strategy that both removes broom stands and depletes the broom seed bank. Follow-up treatments are required for an extended period as broom seed banks are depleted slowly over time. In some cases, wildfire may provide a window of opportunity for broom management.
A weed flamer device can be used as a spot treatment to heat-girdle the lower stems of broom; this technique can be used in sensitive areas or at sites with insufficient fuel loads [160].
Fire hazard potential: The available literature does not provide a clear picture on the potential fire hazard of broom stands. Several reviews (e.g. [17,34,88,148,160]) indicate that dense broom stands are a fire hazard (also see Fire Ecology). Furthermore, descriptions of the structure and composition of Scotch broom monocultures (see Growth form and stand structure) support the contention that dense, mature stands of broom could be highly flammable. Specifically, as Scotch broom stands age, the ratio of woody to green material also increases, and dead wood accumulates [149]. Scotch broom's frequent location on steep slopes adds to its fire hazard potential [160].
In spite of substantial evidence for the fire hazard potential of broom stands, researchers in California found uncut, mature and young stands of French broom difficult to burn, despite high temperatures and low humidities [78]. It is unclear what combination of variables is needed for complete combustion of broom stands.
Rounded Global Status Rank: GNR - Not Yet Ranked
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