''Ruta'' (commonly known as rue) is a genus of strongly scented evergreen

subshrub A subshrub (Latin ''suffrutex'') or dwarf shrub is a short shrub, and is a woody plant. Prostrate shrub is a related term. "Subshrub" is often used interchangeably with "bush".Jackson, Benjamin, Daydon; A Glossary of Botanic Terms with their Der ...

s, 20–60 cm tall, in the family Rutaceae, native to the Mediterranean region, Macaronesia and southwest Asia. About ten species are accepted in the genus. The most well-known species is '' Ruta graveolens'' (rue or common rue). The

leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...

are bipinnate or tripinnate, with a feathery appearance, and green to strongly glaucous blue-green in colour. The flowers are yellow, with 4–5

petal Petals are modified Leaf, leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often advertising coloration, brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''c ...

s, about 1 cm diameter, and borne in cymes. The fruit is a 4–5-lobed capsule, containing numerous seeds.

Species

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was launched in March 2017 with the ultimate aim being "to enable users to access information on all the world's known seed-bearing plants by ...

accepted ten species: *'' Ruta angustifolia'' Pers. *'' Ruta chalepensis'' L. *'' Ruta corsica'' DC. *'' Ruta graveolens'' L. *'' Ruta lamarmorae'' Bacch., Brullo & Giusso *'' Ruta lindsayi'' Turrill *'' Ruta microcarpa'' Svent. *'' Ruta montana'' (L.) L. *'' Ruta oreojasme'' Webb *'' Ruta pinnata'' L.f.

Medicinal uses

Extracts from rue have been used to treat eyestrain, sore eyes, and as insect repellent. Rue has been used internally as an antispasmodic, as a treatment for menstrual problems, as an

abortifacient An abortifacient ("that which will cause a miscarriage" from Latin: ''abortus'' "miscarriage" and '' faciens'' "making") is a substance that induces abortion. This is a nonspecific term which may refer to any number of substances or medications, ...

, and as a

sedative A sedative or tranquilliser is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or excitement. They are CNS depressants and interact with brain activity causing its deceleration. Various kinds of sedatives can be distinguished, but t ...

. ''Ruta graveolens'' and ''Ruta chalepensis'' are often confused in scientific literature.

Traditional uses

Since medieval times, rue has been used as an additive to wines (both white and red) to enhance its flavour and its keeping properties. The Dutch name ''wijnruit'', translates as wine rue. In Italy, rue is added to

grappa Grappa is an alcoholic beverage: a fragrant, grape-based pomace brandy of Italian origin that contains 35 to 60 percent alcohol by volume (70 to 120 US proof). Grappa is made by distilling the skins, pulp, seeds, and stems (i.e., the poma ...

to produce Grappa alla Ruta. Rue's toxicity has long been known but since it appears to be slight it has been used as an additive in wine for a long time.

Precautions

Caution should be taken with using rue topically. Applied to the skin with sun exposure, the oil and leaves can cause blistering. Some people are much more sensitive than others.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q165250 Rutaceae genera Herbs Medicinal plants