Plant Assessment Form
More Genista monspessulana resources
Genista monspessulana
Synonyms: Cytisus monpsessulana, C. racemosus, C. canariensis, Gensita monspessulana, Teline monspessulana
Common Names: French broom; soft broom; canary broom; Montepellier broom
Evaluated on: 6/8/04
List committee review date: 11/03/2005
Re-evaluation date:
Evaluator(s)
Catatlina Island Conservancy
P.O. Box 2739 Avalon, CA 90704
(310) 510-1299
jknapp@catalinaconservancy.org
List committee members
Joe DiTomasoJohn Randall
Carla Bossard
General Comments
No general comments for this species
Table 2. Criteria, Section, and Overall Scores
Overall Score?
High
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Alert Status?
No Alert
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Documentation?
3 out of 5
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Score | Documentation | |||
1.1 | ?Impact on abiotic ecosystem processes | A. Severe | Reviewed Scientific Publication | |
1.2 | ?Impact on plant community | A. Severe | Other Published Material | |
1.3 | ?Impact on higher trophic levels | A. Severe | Other Published Material | |
1.4 | ?Impact on genetic integrity | D. None | Reviewed Scientific Publication | |
2.1 | ?Role of anthropogenic and natural disturbance in establishment | A. Severe | Other Published Material | |
2.2 | ?Local rate of spread with no management | A. Increases rapidly | Other Published Material | |
2.3 | ?Recent trend in total area infested within state | A. Increasing rapidly | Other Published Material | |
2.4 |
?Innate reproductive potential (see Worksheet A) |
A. High | Other Published Material | |
2.5 | ?Potential for human-caused dispersal | A. High | Other Published Material | |
2.6 | ? Potential for natural long-distance dispersal | B. Occasional | Other Published Material | |
2.7 | ?Other regions invaded | C. Already invaded | Other Published Material | |
3.1 |
?Ecological amplitude/Range (see Worksheet C) |
A. Widespread | Other Published Material | |
3.2 |
?Distribution/Peak frequency (see Worksheet C) |
C. Low | Other Published Material |
Table 3. Documentation
Scores are explained in the "Criteria for Categorizing Invasive Non-Native Plants that Threaten Wildlands".
Section 1: Impact | |
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Question 1.1 Impact on abiotic ecosystem processes? | A Reviewed Scientific Publication |
Identify ecosystem processes impacted: G. monspessulana alters fire regimes by buning readily, increasing fire frequency and intensity (1,2). Alters nutrient and water cycling in Spain (3) and California (4. 5). Dense even aged stands, carries flame to overstory native plants. Nitrogen fixer, increases probability of invasion by other plants. Sources of information: |
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Question 1.2 Impact on plant community composition, structure, and interactions? |
A Other Published Material |
Identify type of impact or alteration: Out competes native vegetation even on infertile soils (2,4). Displaces native flora (2). Forms dense monostands (1,2,3) that commonly reach 100% cover and extripate populations of native species (3). G. monspessulana grows rapidly (2) and shades out native species (2,3). G. monspessulana grows in close proximity to several listed and endemic plant species and in riparian habitat of listed wildlife species on Catalalina Island (3). Mutualistic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria found in small nodules on roots (2). Fire dervived increase of the root:above-ground biomass ratio allows resprouters to reach higher foliage concentrations, even if nutrient uptake efficiency or soil fertility remain unchanged (4). Sources of information: |
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Question 1.3 Impact on higher trophic levels? | A Other Published Material |
Identify type of impact or alteration: Seeds are highly toxic to humans and wildlife (2). Young foliage can cause digestive disorders in horses, and staggering and paralysis in livestock (bison?) (2). Infestations degrade the quality of habitat for wildlife by displacing native forage species and changing microclimate conditions at soil levels, and reduce arthropod populations by 1/3 (as reported in Golden Gate National Recreation Area) (2). Dense thickets can inhibit the movement of wildlife (3), including quail and deer (1). Sources of information: |
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Question 1.4 Impact on genetic integrity? | D Reviewed Scientific Publication |
No hybridization is known to occur with native California taxa. No native California taxa are in the genus Genista. Sources of information: Hickman, J.C. (ed.). 1993. The Jepson manual of higher plants of California. P. 609. University of California Press, Berkeley. |
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Section 2: Invasiveness | |
Question 2.1 Role of anthropogenic and natural disturbance in establishment? |
A Other Published Material |
Describe role of disturbance: Brooms colonize open disturbed sites, roadsides, and pastures, and riparian areas, and can invade undisturbed (2) grasslands, coastal scrub, oak woodlands, and open forests (1). Road construction, pig rooting, fire, and vegetative disturbance facilitate its establishment (2). Sources of information: (1) Anonymous. 2001. A comprehensive broom and gorse biological control effort. CalEPPC News 9(2): 3-6. |
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Question 2.2 Local rate of spread with no management? | A Other Published Material |
Describe rate of spread: Seeds are dispersed explosively up to 3-4 meters from individual plants by shattering (1,2). On Catalina Island, existing populations were surrounded by hundreds of new seedlings, and several young new satelite populations were detected (3). First recorded on Catalina Island in 1967 as infrequent (4), and by 2003 1,915,700 ft2 were invaded (3). Expanded 1.4m/year at Jackson State Demonstration Forest, CA (5). Sources of information: |
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Question 2.3 Recent trend in total area infested within state? | A Other Published Material |
Describe trend: At least 23 counties are invaded in California, along the coast from Del Norte to San Diego county, and inland in Butte, Yuba, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento and San Bernadino counties (4). Tamalpais State Park in Marin County targeted for removal (1), Catalina Island targeted for removal (2), Jackson Demonstration State Forest tested control methods (3), Golden Gate National Recreation Area targeted for removal (5), Marin County Open Space District preserve- Alto Bowl targeted for removal (5). Broom species including G. monspessulana have been identified as the second most problem weed by Weed Management Area managers (6). Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve- controlled (7). California State Parks- Inland Empire (8). On Santa Catalina Island, 1,915,700 ft2 are invaded (2). Is not spreading as fast as other broom species because has already invaded most potential habitats. Sources of information: |
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Question 2.4 Innate reproductive potential? | A Other Published Material |
Describe key reproductive characteristics: Perennial shrub with deep tap root that reproduces by seed (3), but has been propagated by cuttings (2). Fire stimulates prolific germination (?). Reproductive stage reached by two years (3). Medium sized plants of can produce 8,000 seeds per year and have long-lived seed banks, and become reproductive by 2-3 years (4). Seeds can remain viable in the soil for over 5 years, and plants live between 10-15 years (4,5). Resprouts readily after being cut and sometimes after fire (5). Self-pollination has been successful under experiments (6). Sources of information: |
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Question 2.5 Potential for human-caused dispersal? | A Other Published Material |
Identify dispersal mechanisms: Soil contaminated with seed (1,3), road grading equipment, maintenance machinery, and mud (2,3). Brooms are widely planted as ornamentals (1,4). Vehicles, footwear, pig rooting and the digestive tracts of horses and other animals, and microsites such as: fallen trees and animal tracts facilitate establishment and dispersal (3). Lumber activities are a major cause of spread, as seeds are spread along lumber roads and fall down slopes from clear cuts (5). Sources of information: |
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Question 2.6 Potential for natural long-distance dispersal? | B Other Published Material |
Identify dispersal mechanisms: Seeds are transported by birds on the Canary Islands (1,3,4), and California quail are suspected of dispersing broom seeds short distances (2). River water also disperse seeds but this species does not grow near water in California (3,4). Seeds do not survive digestion by California quail (5). Sources of information: |
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Question 2.7 Other regions invaded? | C Other Published Material |
Identify other regions: Considered naturalized in Australia (1,2,3), and is the most important broom species targeted for biocontrol (4). Also naturalized in New Zealand. Sources of information: (1) Blood, K. Date unknown. Environmental Weeds: a field guide for SE Australia. |
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Section 3: Distribution | |
Question 3.1 Ecological amplitude/Range? | A Other Published Material |
G. monspessulana was first introduced to California in 1871 and reported naturalized by the 1940's (1,5). On Santa Catalina Island, 85 populations were recorded and the following is the percentage of habitats invaded: bare-<0.00%, coastal scrub-<0.00%, coastal scrub/grassland-1.6%, grassland-0.16%, chaparral-0.02%, riparian-0.08%, and 13 populations wee recorded in non-native communities (2). G. monspessulana invades coastal plains, mountain slopes, grasslands, and open canopy forests, and disturbed places such as: river banks, road cuts, and forest clear cuts (3). G. monspessulana also invades coast live oak (4), valley grassland (6), foothill oak woodland (6). Sources of information: (1) Mastro, L.W. 1987. Effects of Dyers Greenwold, Cytisus linifolius (Fabaceae) on the native vegetation of Santa Catalina Island. Crossosoma, 13(6):2-6. |
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Question 3.2 Distribution/Peak frequency? | C Other Published Material |
Describe distribution: See 3.1. Sources of information: (1) Mastro, L.W. 1987. Effects of Dyers Greenwold, Cytisus linifolius (Fabaceae) on the native vegetation of Santa Catalina Island. Crossosoma, 13(6):2-6. |
Worksheet A - Innate reproductive potential
Reaches reproductive maturity in 2 years or less | Yes |
Dense infestations produce >1,000 viable seed per square meter | Yes |
Populations of this species produce seeds every year. | Yes |
Seed production sustained over 3 or more months within a population annually | Yes |
Seeds remain viable in soil for three or more years | Yes |
Viable seed produced with both self-pollination and cross-pollination | Yes |
Has quickly spreading vegetative structures (rhizomes, roots, etc.) that may root at nodes | No |
Fragments easily and fragments can become established elsewhere | No |
Resprouts readily when cut, grazed, or burned | Yes |
Total points: | 9 |
Total unknowns: | 0 |
Total score: | A? |
Related traits:
Worksheet B - Arizona Ecological Types is not included here
Worksheet C - California Ecological Types
(sensu Holland 1986)Major Ecological Types | Minor Ecological Types | Code? |
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Marine Systems | marine systems | |
Freshwater and Estuarine | lakes, ponds, reservoirs | |
Aquatic Systems | rivers, streams, canals | |
estuaries | ||
Dunes | coastal | |
desert | ||
interior | ||
Scrub and Chaparral | coastal bluff scrub | |
coastal scrub | C, 5% - 20% | |
Sonoran desert scrub | ||
Mojavean desert scrub (incl. Joshua tree woodland) | ||
Great Basin scrub | ||
chenopod scrub | ||
montane dwarf scrub | ||
Upper Sonoran subshrub scrub | ||
chaparral | D, < 5% | |
Grasslands, Vernal Pools, Meadows, and other Herb Communities | coastal prairie | D, < 5% |
valley and foothill grassland | D, < 5% | |
Great Basin grassland | ||
vernal pool | ||
meadow and seep | ||
alkali playa | ||
pebble plain | ||
Bog and Marsh | bog and fen | |
marsh and swamp | ||
Riparian and Bottomland habitat | riparian forest | |
riparian woodland | D, < 5% | |
riparian scrub (incl.desert washes) | D, < 5% | |
Woodland | cismontane woodland | D, < 5% |
piñon and juniper woodland | ||
Sonoran thorn woodland | ||
Forest | broadleaved upland forest | D, < 5% |
North Coast coniferous forest | C, 5% - 20% | |
closed cone coniferous forest | ||
lower montane coniferous forest | ||
upper montane coniferous forest | ||
subalpine coniferous forest | ||
Alpine Habitats | alpine boulder and rock field | |
alpine dwarf scrub | ||
Amplitude (breadth): | A | |
Distribution (highest score): | C |
Infested Jepson Regions
Click here for a map of Jepson regions
- Cascade Range
- Central West
- Great Valley
- Northwest
- Sierra Nevada
- Southwest
- Modoc Plateau
- Sonoran Desert