Ononis

Ononis
Ononis spinosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Tribe: Trifolieae
Genus: Ononis
L.
Species

See text.

Synonyms

Anonis (Tourn. ex) Adans (1763)[1]
Bonaga Medik. (1787)[1]
Bugranopsis Pomel (1874)[2]
Natrix Moench (1794)[1]
Passaea Adans.[2]

Ononis is a large genus of perennial herbs and shrubs from the legume family Fabaceae. The members of this genus are often called restharrows as some species are arable weeds whose tough stems would stop the harrow. They are natively distributed in Europe.

In herbalism restharrow is used to treat bladder and kidney problems and water retention.

The active ingredients in restharrow are essential oils, flavonoid-glycosides, and tannins.

Restharrows are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Grey Pug and Coleophora ononidella (feeds exclusively on O. arvensis).

Species of Ononis

O. arvensis
Ononis natrix, flowers and foliage

The genus Ononis currently includes thirty-one accepted species:[3]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ononis.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Woodgate, Katherine; Maxted, Nigel; Bennett, Sarita Jane (1996). "Genetic resources of Mediterranean pasture and forage legumes". In Bennett, Sarita Jane; Cocks, Philip Stanley. Genetic resources of Mediterranean pasture and forage legumes. Current Plant Science and Biotechnology in Agriculture. 33. Norwell, MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers. p. 205. ISBN 0-7923-5522-9.
  2. 1 2 "Genus Nomenclature in GRIN". Retrieved 2010-07-09.
  3. "Species Nomenclature in GRIN". Retrieved 2010-08-04.


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