Calicotome

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Rosids
Cladus: Eurosids I
Ordo: Fabales

Familia: Fabaceae
Subfamilia: Faboideae
Tribus: Genisteae
Genus: Calicotome
Species: C. infesta – C. intermedia – C. rigida – C. spinosa – C. villosa
Name

Calicotome Link, 1808
Note: Phylogenetic evidence places this genus in synonymy with Cytisus, but the relevant changes have not yet been made.
Synonyms

Calycotome Link
Lygoplis Raf.

Distribution
Native distribution areas:

Continental: Europe
Regional: Southeastern Europe
Albania, Cyprus, East Aegean Is., Greece, Italy, Kriti, Sicilia, Turkey-in-Europe, Yugoslavia
Regional: Southwestern Europe
Baleares, Corse, France, Portugal, Sardegna, Spain
Continental: Asia-Temperate
Regional: Western Asia
Lebanon-Syria, Palestine, Turkey
Continental: Africa
Regional: Northern Africa
Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia

Introduced into:

New Zealand North, New Zealand South, Victoria

References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition
References
Primary references

Link, H.F. 1808. Neues Journal für die Botanik 2(2): 50

Links

Govaerts, R. et al. 2021. Calicotome in Kew Science Plants of the World Online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2021 Jan 13. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2021. Calicotome. Published online. Accessed: Jan 13 2021. Reference page.
Tropicos.org 2021. Calicotome. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published online. Accessed: 12 Jan 2021. Reference page.

Hassler, M. 2021. Calicotome. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2021. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published online. Accessed: 2021 Jan 13. Reference page.

Vernacular names
suomi: Piikkivihmat

Calicotome is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. It includes five species native to the Mediterranean Basin.[1] The genus belongs to the subfamily Faboideae. It may be synonymous with Cytisus. All species of the genus are thorny shrubs. In the Myth of Er, tyrants are punished by being dragged through thorny Calicotomes (ἀσπάλαθος).[2]
Species

Calicotome comprises the following species:[1][3][4][5]
Image Scientific name Distribution
Calicotome infesta (C. Presl) Guss. Europe
Calicotome intermedia (Salzm. ex C.Presl) Boiss. ex Rchb.f. North Africa (Morocco to Libya) and southern and southeastern Spain
Calicotome rigida (Viv.) Maire & Weiller North Africa
Calicotome spinosa (L.) Link Spain, France, Italy, Croatia and Algeria
Calicotome villosa (Poir.) Link eastern Mediterranean region, Europe
References

Calicotome Link. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
Plato (1903). Burnet, John (ed.). Platonis Opera. Oxford University Press.
"ILDIS LegumeWeb entry for Calicotome". International Legume Database & Information Service. Cardiff School of Computer Science & Informatics. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
USDA; ARS; National Genetic Resources Program. "GRIN species records of Calicotome". Germplasm Resources Information Network—(GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
"The Plant List entry for Calicotome". The Plant List. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Missouri Botanical Garden. 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2014.