Spartium junceum

Botanical Description

Spartium junceum is a deciduous shrub of rather gaunt habit, with upright stems that have few branches. The leaves are very few, most photosynthesis being carried out by the green, cylindrical, rush-like stems, the plant usually growing from 2.5 - 3.5 metres tall[ 11 Title Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Publication Author Bean. W. Publisher Murray Year 1981 ISBN - Description A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures. , 1050 Title Fire Effects Information System Publication Author Website http://www.feis-crs.org/feis/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line information site with comprehensive information on over 1,100 species of plant. Mainly developed to supply information on the effects of fire on plants and animals, it also contains a wealth of other information on the plants ]. The plant is often harvested from the wild as the source of a range of materials, especially its fibre and essential oil. The fibre has been used in the Mediterranean for more than 2,000 years and there is currently a revival in its use in composite materials made of biopolymer matrices and natural fibres. The plant is sometimes grown as an ornamental, there are some named forms[ 11 Title Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Publication Author Bean. W. Publisher Murray Year 1981 ISBN - Description A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures. ]. The plant is often grown as an ornamental, and sometimes escapes from cultivation, especially when growing in climates similar to its native habitat. It is known to have become naturalized in California and in the Andes, and has been declared a noxious weed in some areas. The plant can spread rapidly by seed, colonizing disturbed habitats and developing thick shrub communities that prevent colonization by native chaparral species. It may be a fire hazard during the dry season[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. , 305 Title Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk Publication Author Website http://www.hear.org/pier/scientificnames/index.html Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A very good website detailing weed species that have been introduced into the Pacific Islands. , 1050 Title Fire Effects Information System Publication Author Website http://www.feis-crs.org/feis/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line information site with comprehensive information on over 1,100 species of plant. Mainly developed to supply information on the effects of fire on plants and animals, it also contains a wealth of other information on the plants ].