144; see text Genista /dʒɛˈnɪstə/[2] is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family Fabaceae, native to open habitats such as moorland and pasture in Europe and western Asia.

Brooms in other genera are sometimes considered synonymous with Genista: Echinospartum, Retama, Spartium, Stauracanthus, and Ulex.

They are mainly deciduous shrubs and trees, often with brush-like foliage, often spiny to deter browsing, and masses of small, pea-like yellow blooms which are sometimes fragrant.

[4] The name of the Plantagenet royal line, which reigned in England from 1154 to 1485, is derived from this genus, being a dialectal variation of planta genista.

[5] Several species are widely cultivated for their often sweet-smelling, abundant blooms early in the season, though many are not fully hardy.