any of several shrubs or small trees of the genus Cytisus, of the pea family (Fabaceae), native to temperate regions of Europe and western Asia. They are also cultivated in other regions, chiefly for their attractive flowers. The compound leaves have three leaflets. The yellow, purple, or white flowers are solitary or in small clusters. The fruit is a flat pod. A common, almost leafless species is C. scoparius, a shrub with bright yellow flowers; it is often grown for erosion control in warm climates. When ripe, its pods burst, scattering the seeds. Butcher's broom, Ruscus aculeatus, is a shrub of the lily family (Liliaceae) with small whitish flowers and red berries.