''Ononis spinosa'' is a plant belonging to the family
, that is commonly known as spiny restharrow or just
restharrow. It is found throughout much of
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
including Britain, but seldom as far north as
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
.
Description
Spiny restharrow is an erect, bushy perennial. The wiry, branched stem is downy and nearly always spiny, and grows to a height of . The leaves are small, dark green, oval or trefoil, with toothed leaf-like stipules at their base. The flowers are deep pink and white, with the wings shorter than the hooked keel, and the calyx usually shorter than the pod.
Distribution and habitat
Spiny restharrow is found in southern temperate areas of Europe and Siberia. In the British Isles it occurs predominantly in central and southeastern England. Its typical habitat is lime-rich but nutrient-poor grassland on chalk and heavy, calcareous soils.
It grows in the
Plaster's Green Meadows, an
SSSI
A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Great Britain or an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle of ...
in Lincolnshire.
Historical use
In medieval Russia, it was used for manufacturing
Bulat steel
Bulat is a type of steel alloy known in Russia from medieval times; it was regularly mentioned in Russian legends as the material of choice for cold steel. The name ''булат'' is a Russian transliteration of the Persian word ''fulad'', meani ...
. Though the original process is now lost, it is known it involved dipping the finished weapon into a vat containing a special liquid of which spiny restharrow extract was a part (the plant's name in Russian, ''stalnik'', reflects its historical role), then holding the sword aloft while galloping on a horse, allowing it to dry and harden against the wind.
[Zevin, Igor Vilevich. ''A Russian Herbal''. 1997. Rochester, Vermont: Healing Arts Press. p.122.]
In traditional Russian herbal medicine, it was used as an
anodyne,
antiphlogistic,
aperient
Laxatives, purgatives, or aperients are substances that loosen stools and increase bowel movements. They are used to treat and prevent constipation.
Laxatives vary as to how they work and the side effects they may have. Certain stimulant, lub ...
,
coagulant
Coagulant can refer to:
* Flocculation
* Coagulation of the blood
* Coagulation (water treatment)
See also
* Coagulation (disambiguation)
Coagulation is the process by which blood forms clots.
Coagulation may also refer to:
* Coagulation (water ...
and
diuretic
A diuretic () is any substance that promotes diuresis, the increased production of urine. This includes forced diuresis. A diuretic tablet is sometimes colloquially called a water tablet. There are several categories of diuretics. All diuretics in ...
.
A
decoction of restharrow was used for
eczema
Dermatitis is inflammation of the Human skin, skin, typically characterized by itchiness, erythema, redness and a rash. In cases of short duration, there may be small blisters, while in long-term cases the skin may become lichenification, thick ...
and other skin problems,
hemorrhoid
Hemorrhoids (or haemorrhoids), also known as piles, are vascular structures in the anal canal. In their normal state, they are cushions that help with stool control. They become a disease when swollen or inflamed; the unqualified term ''hemo ...
s, chronic
constipation
Constipation is a bowel dysfunction that makes bowel movements infrequent or hard to pass. The stool is often hard and dry. Other symptoms may include abdominal pain, bloating, and feeling as if one has not completely passed the bowel movement ...
, and infections of the anus.
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
spinosa
Medicinal plants of Europe
Plants described in 1753
Subshrubs
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus