Spartium junceum L. or Spanish broom is a shrub that
can reach up to five meters tall, with erect, round, bright green, almost leafless
stems. It is the only species of this genus native to the Mediterranean region
and Canary Islands which grows in areas with full sun and limited water in
poor, rocky soils.
Thin-layer chromatographic analysis of flavonoids and phenolic acids in
the stem, leaves and flowers of S. junceum collected from five separated geographic
locations of Croatia showed the presence of quercetin, caffeic acid,
quercitrin, isoquercitrin and hyperoside. Leaves contained the highest content
of flavonoids (0.35%).
Thin-layer chromatographic analysis of amino acids in the investigated plant
parts showed the presence of 8 amino acids: leucine, phenylalanine, g-aminobutyric
acid, tyrosine, proline, glutamine, serine and histidine
