5 Graines Genêt sphaerocarpa jaune, Retama sphaerocarpa

Yellow sphaerocarpa broom, retama sphaerocarpa |

Retama sphaerocarpa is a species of the plant family of fabaceae and the genre retama.

5 seeds

Retama sphaerocarpa is a shrub that can reach 3 M high2. Generally devoid of leaves, it is greyish and very branched. He (or not) has alternate, linear lanceolate, early leafy leaves. The flowers are papilionacea, very small, from 5 to 8 MM long, grouped in clusters. The chalice is 2 to 3.5 MM, Bilabié ; The upper separation is deeply bifid, and the lower separation divided into 3 small sharp teeth. The more or less ovoid legume has a very little marked, straw color mucron  . It is easily distinguished by its linear leaves and especially by the number of yellow flowers it produces. Its production is so great that it can give the impression that it is a plant that has only one trunk and many petals.

Retama Sphaerocarpa is from North West of Africa3 and Iberian Peninsula. It is a common species in almost the whole peninsula, with the exception of the North and a good part of Portugal. He is xerophilic, tolerant of winter cold and summer heat3 ; It can vegetate both in limestone soils and siliceux4 up to 400 M altitude. It can form very extensive thickets, notably in Aragon, in La Manche, in the south ofEstremadure and in Andalusia, where sheep generally grazes, generally in degraded oaks forests and pinews4.

In medicine, it is used in acute affections of the respiratory system and in the case of eruptive fevers as did the pilgrims of Saint-Jacques-de-Compostela of French, Belgian and German origin. It is diuretic and can treat gastroenteritis and intestinal worms6.