The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Furze \Furze\, n. [OE. firs, As. fyrs.] (Bot.)
   A thorny evergreen shrub (Ulex Europ[ae]us), with beautiful
   yellow flowers, very common upon the plains and hills of
   Great Britain; -- called also gorse, and whin. The dwarf
   furze is Ulex nanus.
   [1913 Webster]