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 grow as weeds on arable lands whose tough stems would stop the harrow. They are natively distributed in Europe.

Ononis
Ononis spinosa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Tribe: Trifolieae
Genus: Ononis
L. 1753
Species

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

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 the grey pug and Coleophora ononidella (which feeds exclusively on O. arvensis).[citation needed]

Species of Ononis

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O. arvensis
 
Ononis natrix, flowers and foliage

The genus Ononis includes the following accepted species:[3]

References

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  1. ^ Woodgate, Katherine; Maxted, Nigel; Bennett, Sarita Jane (1996). Bennett, Sarita Jane; Cocks, Philip Stanley (eds.). Genetic resources of Mediterranean pasture and forage legumes. Current Plant Science and Biotechnology in Agriculture. Vol. 33. Norwell, MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers. p. 205. ISBN 0-7923-5522-9.
  2. ^ "Genus Nomenclature in GRIN". Retrieved 2010-07-09.
  3. ^ "Species Nomenclature in GRIN". Archived from the original on 2008-10-14. Retrieved 2010-08-04.
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