[SPANISH a. 9.] The plant Spartium junceum (or Cytisus junceus), common to the Mediterranean region, the rush-like branches or twigs of which are used in basket-work and yield a fiber employed in the manufacture of cords, coarse cloth, etc.
The resemblance of the generic name Spartium to L. spartum (see SPART1), and misunderstanding of passages in Pliny, has led to occasional confusion between Spanish broom and esparto grass.
1562. Turner, Herbal, II. 144. The sede and floures of Spanish brome are good to be dronken wyth mede … to pourge strongly.
1676. Grew, Anat. Flowers, II. ii. § 8 (1682), 165. Spanish Broome, Dulcamara, and others.
1731. Miller, Gard. Dict., s.v. Spartium, The white Spanish Broom.
1785. Martyn, Lett. Elem. Bot., xxv. (1794), 350. Spanish Broom, with some other species, has simple leaves.
1861. Bentley, Man. Bot., 527. Sarothamnus (Cytisus) scoparius, is the common Broom…. Sarothamnus junceus, the Spanish Broom, has similar properties.
1882. Garden, 29 April, 297/1. Pale sulphur-coloured Spanish Broom.
