Genista aetnensis
Genista aetnensis, the Mount Etna broom, is a species of flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae. It is a large shrub or small tree endemic to Corsica, Sardinia, and Sicily where it is associated with sunny, open landscapes and poor, stony soil. It is a very common constituent of the garigue plant communities, Mediterranean shrubby vegetation, around the lower slopes of Mount Etna, hence its Latin specific epithet aetnensis.
The young plant is typical of brooms, clothed in narrow linear leaves which soon drop off leaving almost bare branches. As it ages the shrub develops into a shapely small tree with a greenish bark, growing to if given room to develop. The terminal branches have a tendency to droop and weep. Abundant pea-like, yellow, jasmine-scented flowers cover the whole crown in late summer.
Two subspecies are accepted:
- Genista etnensis subsp. etnensis – Sicily
- Genista etnensis subsp. sarda – Corsica and Sardinia