View source for Gorse

{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = Gorse
| image = Whin_or_Gorse_on_Fife_Coastal_Trail.jpg
| image_width = 220px
| image_caption = Dwarf Gorse
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Fabales]]
| familia = [[Fabaceae]]
| subfamilia = [[Faboideae]]
| tribus = [[Genisteae]]
| genus = '''''Ulex'''''
| genus_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = 
''Ulex argenteus''<br/>
''Ulex boivinii'' <br/>
''Ulex borgiae''<br/>
''Ulex cantabricus''<br/>
''Ulex densus''<br/>
''Ulex europaeus'' - [[Common Gorse]]<br/>
''Ulex gallii'' - [[Dwarf Furze]] or Furse<br/>
''Ulex genistoides'' <br/>
''Ulex micranthus''<br/>
''Ulex minor'' - Dwarf Gorse<br/>
''Ulex parviflorus''
</td></tr><tr><td>Ref: [http://www.ildis.org/ ILDIS Version 6.05]
}}

'''Gorse''' ('''''Ulex''''') comprises a [[genus]] of about 20 species of [[evergreen]] [[shrub]]s in the subfamily [[Faboideae]] of the pea family [[Fabaceae]], native to western [[Europe]] and northwest [[Africa]], with the majority of species in [[Iberian Peninsula|Iberia]]. Other common names for gorse include '''furse''', '''whin''' and '''furze'''. 

Gorse is closely related to the [[Broom (shrub)|brooms]], and like them, has green stems and very small leaves and adapts to dry growing conditions, but differs in its extreme spininess, with the leaves being modified into 1-4 cm long spines. All the species have yellow flowers, some with a very long flowering season.

The most widely familiar species is the [[Common Gorse]] (''Ulex europaeus''), the only species native in most of western [[Europe]], where it grows in sunny sites, usually on dry, sandy soils. It is also the largest species, reaching 2-3 m height; this compares with typically 0.2-0.4 m for '''Western gorse''' (''U. gallii''). This latter species is characteristic of highly exposed [[Atlantic (ocean)|Atlantic]] coastal [[Heath (habitat)|heathland]] and montane habitats.

[[Image:Ulex_europaeus.jpg|left|thumb|Common Gorse flowers]]
Common gorse flowers most strongly in spring, though it bears some flowers year round, hence the old country phrase: "When gorse is out of blossom, kissing's out of fashion". The flowers have a very distinctive strong [[coconut]] scent. Western gorse or  [[Dwarf Furze]]  differs in being almost entirely late summer flowering (August-September in [[Ireland]] and [[Great Britain|Britain]]), and also have somewhat darker yellow flowers than Common gorse.

Gorse is a fire-climax plant, very well adapted to stand-replacing fires, being highly inflammable, and having seed pods that are to a large extent opened by fire, thus allowing rapid regeneration after fire. The burnt stumps also readily sprout new growth from the roots. Where fire is excluded, gorse soon tends to be shaded out by taller-growing trees, unless other factors like exposure also apply. Typical fire recurrence periods in gorse stands are 5-20 years.

Gorse thrives best in poor growing areas and conditions; it has been widely used for land reclamation (e.g., mine tailings), where its [[nitrogen fixation|nitrogen-fixing]] capacity helps other plants establish better.

It is a valuable plant for wildlife, providing dense thorny cover ideal for protecting bird nests; in Britain, [[France]] and [[Ireland]], it is particularly noted for supporting [[European Stonechat]]s and [[Dartford Warbler]]s. The flowers are sometimes eaten by the [[larva]] of the [[Double-striped Pug]] [[moth]] and another moth, ''[[Coleophora|Coleophora albicosta]]'' feeds exclusively on ''Ulex''.
[[Image:Whinstonedalgarven.JPG|left|thumb| A whin-stone at [[Dalgarven Mill]], Scotland, used to crush Whin for use as winter feed for cattle.]]
In many areas of [[North America]], southern [[South America]], [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]], the Common Gorse, introduced as an [[ornamental plant]], has become naturalised and an [[invasive species|invasive]] [[weed]] due to its aggressive seed dispersal; it has proved very difficult to eradicate. However, in New Zealand, it has been found to form a useful nursery species for native bush regeneration. If gorse stands are left for several years, native seedlings generate in their shelter and grow up through the gorse, cutting out its light and eventually replacing it.

Gorse flowers are edible and can be used in salads, tea and to make a non-grape based '[[wine]]'.

The furse is the badge of the [[MacLennan]] clan from Kintail, Scotland.

[[Furse]] is also a [[Devon]] surname.

[[Image:Gorse_wales2.jpg|left|thumb|Gorse by Welsh Roadside]][[Image:Gorse_wales3.jpg|thumb|left|Gorse Flowers]]

==External Links==

* [http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Ulex+europaeus Plants for a Future, database entry on uses]
* [http://www.the-tree.org.uk/BritishTrees/TreeGallery/gorsec.htm Gorse on www.the-tree.org.uk ]
* [http://www.the-tree.org.uk/BritishTrees/MrsGrieve/mggorse.htm 'A Modern Herbal' (Grieves 1931)]

[[Category:Faboideae]]
[[Category:Invasive plant species]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]

[[es:Ulex]]
[[eo:Ulekso]]
[[fr:Ajonc]]
[[it:Ulex]]
[[lt:Dygliakrūmis]]
[[no:Gulltorner]]
[[pt:Ulex]]
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