California broom
Lotus scoparius

Family: Fabaceae.

Type: Small drought-deciduous shrub.

Branching: Alternate.

Leaves: Leaves are drought-deciduous, so they may not be visible in mid-summer. They are compound, with three tiny leaflets.

Twig: Stems are green to reddish, and is photosynthetically active even when leaves are dropped; this is a water conservation strategy in the dry chaparral. The red pigments are, as is often the case, for protection against strong sun; in mid to late summer, when water is scarce and the sun is strong, the red pigments will be most predominant. The stem is woody (unlike the buckwheat, which is an herb).

Fruit & Flower: Flowers are yellow and resemble pea flowers. Fruits are similar to those of other legumes: a long seed pod like a green bean.

Miscellaneous: This plant is also known as deerweed. It is in the legume family. It is found in coastal scrub as well as in chaparral: very dry areas with poor soils. As with other legumes, California broom has nitrogen-fixing bacteria in association with its roots. This means that it is an early colonizer of poor soils, and facilitates the recruitment of other species.