''Ononis'' is a large genus of perennial

herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...

s and shrubs from the

legume A legume () is a plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seed of such a plant. When used as a dry grain, the seed is also called a pulse. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consumption, for livestock f ...

family

Fabaceae The Fabaceae or Leguminosae,International Code of Nomenc ...

. 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 Harrow may refer to: Places * Harrow, Victoria, Australia * Harrow, Ontario, Canada * The Harrow, County Wexford, a village in Ireland * London Borough of Harrow, England ** Harrow, London, a town in London ** Harrow (UK Parliament constituency) ...

. 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 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. Restharrows are used as food plants by the larvae of some

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...

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 ''Ononis arvensis'', the field restharrow, is a widespread species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae The Fabaceae or Leguminosae,Ononis avellana'' Pomel * '' Ononis baetica'' Clemente * '' Ononis biflora'' Desf. * '' Ononis cossoniana'' Boiss. & Reut. * '' Ononis cristata'' Mill. * '' Ononis euphrasiifolia'' Desf. * '' Ononis fruticosa'' L. * ''

Ononis inermis ''Ononis arvensis'', the field restharrow, is a widespread species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae The Fabaceae or Leguminosae,Ononis mitissima ''Ononis mitissima'' is a species of annual herb in the family Fabaceae The Fabaceae or Leguminosae,Ononis natrix'' L., large yellow restharrow * ''

Ononis ornithopodioides ''Ononis ornithopodioides'' is a species of annual herb in the family Fabaceae The Fabaceae or Leguminosae,Ononis pubescens'' L. * '' Ononis pusilla'' L. * '' Ononis reclinata'' L., small restharrow * ''

Ononis repens ''Ononis repens'', the common restharrow, is a plant species of the genus ''Ononis''. Description It is a prostrate (maximum height 60cm) woody perennial, spreading by rhizomes. It has hairy stems and small oval leaves with toothed edges. ...

'' L., common restharrow * '' Ononis rotundifolia'' L. * '' Ononis serrata'' Forssk. * '' Ononis sicula'' Guss. * ''

Ononis speciosa ''Ononis'' is a large genus of perennial plant, 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 har ...

'' Lag. * '' Ononis spinosa'' L., spiny restharrow * '' Ononis subspicata'' Lag. * '' Ononis tridentata'' L. * ''

Ononis vaginalis ''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 n ...

'' Vahl * ''

Ononis variegata ''Ononis variegata'' is a species of plant in the legume family Fabaceae The Fabaceae or Leguminosae,Ononis viscosa'' L.

References

External links

Medicinal uses of ''O. arvensis'' in Armenia
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Fabaceae genera {{Trifolieae-stub