What Does Gorse Mean?

Ulex is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. The genus comprises about 20 species of thorny evergreen shrubs in the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Fabaceae. The species are native to parts of western Europe and northwest Africa, with the majority of species in Iberia.

Where does the word gorse come from?

Early enough, grass was suggested as the etymon of gorse. The word for “grass” often occurs with the vowel and r transposed (this phonetic leapfrog is called metathesis).

What does Gorsier mean?

gorse. (gôrs) Any of several spiny evergreen shrubs of the genus Ulex of the pea family, especially U. europaeus, native to Europe and naturalized elsewhere, having fragrant yellow flowers and black pods. Also called furze, whin¹.