Entire-petalled gorse (Genista holopetala (Koch) Bald.)

Entire-petalled gorse is a strictly protected plant species from the pea family (Fabaceae). This low-lying, very ramified shrub is only about 15 cm tall and sports silvery, fluffy young shoots. Unlike most species in its genus, entire-petalled gorse has no thorns and its leaves are not simple, but composed of three leaflets. Its inflorescences usually also comprise three golden-yellow flowers, with a build typical of the pea family. The entire-petalled gorse is in bloom between May and July. In Croatia, this relict North Illyrian endemic species inhabits sun-kissed, bora-swept grasslands from Gorski kotar to Southern Velebit, where its range ends. Entire-petalled gorse has also been found in Slovenia and Italy, but much more rarely than in Croatia, where it is a part of several endemic plant communities, and even entirely dominant in places. In spite of its relatively large range, the species is categorised as data deficient (DD) in the Croatian Red Book and in IUCN’s Red Lists. Still, as a subendemic European species with an extremely small range on a global scale, the entire-petalled gorse is featured in all the most important plant species and habitat protection regulations (Bern Convention, Habitats Directive, Natura 2000, Croatian List of Wild Species (Excluding Birds) of Interest to the EU).

There are a dozen species and several subspecies of the gorse genus (Genista) in the Croatian flora. The globular gorse (G. radiata) is the one most similar to the entire-petalled gorse and often shares its living space. Given its large and stable populations, this beautiful Illyrian endemic species does not seem to be endangered in its natural habitat for the time being. Still, its seeds, maturing in tiny pods of one or rarely two, are rare, and studies indicate that they germinate poorly, giving us another reason to protect the species.

Sanja Kovačić, PhD, specialist advisor

Botany Garden, Department of Biology,

Faculty of Science,

University of Zagreb