Retama monosperma

Retama monosperma, the bridal broom^[2] or bridal veil broom, is a flowering bush species in the genus Retama, native to the parts of the Mediterranean Basin (Algeria, Morocco, Portugal and Spain in the west, Egypt, the East Aegean Islands and Greece in the east). It has been introduced elsewhere.^[1]

Retama monosperma
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Faboideae
Genus:	Retama
Species:	R. monosperma
Binomial name
Retama monosperma (L.) Boiss.
Synonyms[1]
Lygos monosperma (L.) Heywood Genista defoliata Lam. Genista monosperma (L.) Lam. Retama webbii (Spach) Webb Spartium gracile Salisb. Spartium monospermum L. Spartium clusii Spach Spartium dubium Spach Spartium rhodorhizoides Walp., not validly publ. Spartium rostratum Spach, nom. illeg. Spartium webbii Spach

Retama monosperma forms root nodules with Ensifer fredii. The larvae of the moths Phyllonorycter hesperiella and Phyllonorycter spartocytisi feed on R. monosperma.

The seeds contain cytisine, a toxic alkaloid. Fifteen other quinolizidine and three dipiperidine alkaloids can also be isolated from different parts of the plant. In particular, the presence of (+)-sparteine, α- and β-isosparteine, (+)-17-oxosparteine, (-)-lupanine, 5,6-dehydrolupanine, (-)-anagyrine, (-)-N-methylcytisine and (+)-ammodendrine can be detected.^[3]