''Ononis'' is a large
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of
perennial
In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...
herb
Herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal purposes, or for fragrances. Culinary use typically distingu ...
s and shrubs from the
legume
Legumes are plants in the pea family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seeds of such plants. When used as a dry grain for human consumption, the seeds are also called pulses. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consum ...
family
Fabaceae
Fabaceae () or Leguminosae,[International Code of Nomen ...](_blank)
. The members of this genus are often called restharrows or wrestharrows as some species grow as weeds on arable lands whose tough stems would stop the
harrow. They are natively distributed in Europe.
In
herbalism
Herbal medicine (also called herbalism, phytomedicine or phytotherapy) is the study of pharmacognosy and the use of medicinal plants, which are a basis of traditional medicine. Scientific evidence for the effectiveness of many herbal treatments ...
restharrow is used to treat bladder and kidney problems and water retention.
The
active ingredient
An active ingredient is any ingredient that provides biologically active or other direct effect in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease or to affect the structure or any function of the body of humans or animals.
...
s in restharrow are
essential oils
An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile (easily evaporated at normal temperatures) chemical compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils, aetheroleum, or simply as the o ...
,
flavonoid
Flavonoids (or bioflavonoids; from the Latin word ''flavus'', meaning yellow, their color in nature) are a class of polyphenolic secondary metabolites found in plants, and thus commonly consumed in the diets of humans.
Chemically, flavonoids ...
-
glycosides
In chemistry, a glycoside is a molecule in which a sugar is bound to another functional group via a glycosidic bond. Glycosides play numerous important roles in living organisms. Many plants store chemicals in the form of inactive glycosides. ...
, and
tannins
Tannins (or tannoids) are a class of astringent, polyphenolic biomolecules that bind to and precipitate proteins and various other organic compounds including amino acids and alkaloids. The term ''tannin'' is widely applied to any large po ...
.
Restharrows are used as food plants by the
larva
A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...
e of some
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera ( ) or lepidopterans is an order (biology), order of winged insects which includes butterflies and moths. About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera have been described, representing 10% of the total described species of living organ ...
species including the
grey pug and ''
Coleophora ononidella'' (which feeds exclusively on ''O. arvensis'').
Species of ''Ononis''
The genus ''Ononis'' includes the following accepted species:
* ''
Ononis adenotricha''
Boiss.
* ''
Ononis alba''
Poir.
* ''
Ononis alopecuroides''
L., foxtail restharrow
* ''
Ononis angustissima''
Lam.
* ''
Ononis antiquorum''
L.
* ''
Ononis arvensis''
L., field restharrow
* ''
Ononis avellana''
Pomel
* ''
Ononis baetica''
Clemente
* ''
Ononis biflora''
Desf.
* ''
Ononis cossoniana''
Boiss. & Reut.
* ''
Ononis cristata''
Mill.
* ''
Ononis euphrasiifolia
''Ononis'' is a large genus of perennial herbs and shrubs from the legume family Fabaceae. The members of this genus are often called restharrows or wrestharrows as some species grow as weeds on arable lands whose tough stems would stop the har ...
''
Desf.
* ''
Ononis fruticosa''
L.
* ''
Ononis inermis''
Pall.
* ''
Ononis mitissima''
L.
* ''
Ononis natrix''
L., large yellow restharrow
* ''
Ononis ornithopodioides''
L.
* ''
Ononis pubescens''
L.
* ''
Ononis pusilla''
L.
* ''
Ononis reclinata''
L., small restharrow
* ''
Ononis repens''
L., common restharrow
* ''
Ononis rotundifolia''
L.
* ''
Ononis serrata''
Forssk.
* ''
Ononis sicula''
Guss.
* ''
Ononis speciosa''
Lag.
* ''
Ononis spinosa
''Ononis'' is a large genus of perennial
In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant t ...
''
L., spiny restharrow
* ''
Ononis subspicata''
Lag.
* ''
Ononis tridentata''
L.
* ''
Ononis vaginalis''
Vahl
* ''
Ononis variegata''
L.
* ''
Ononis viscosa''
L.
References
External links
Medicinal uses of ''O. arvensis'' in Armenia
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
Fabaceae genera
{{Trifolieae-stub