Ononis

Ononis
Ononis spinosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Faboideae
Tribe:	Trifolieae
Genus:	Ononis L.
Species
See text.
Synonyms
Anonis (Tourn. ex) Adans (1763)[1] Bonaga Medik. (1787)[1] Bugranopsis Pomel (1874)[2] Natrix Moench (1794)[1] Passaea Adans.[2]

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 are arable weeds whose tough stems would stop the harrow. 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-glycosides, and tannins.

Restharrows are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Grey Pug and Coleophora ononidella (feeds exclusively on O. arvensis).^{[citation needed]}

Species of Ononis

O. arvensis

Ononis natrix, flowers and foliage

The genus Ononis currently includes thirty-one accepted species:^[3]

• Ononis adenotricha Boiss.
• Ononis alba Poir.
• Ononis alopecuroides L., Foxtail Restharrow
• Ononis angustissima Lam.
• Ononis arvensis L., Field Restharrow
• Ononis avellana Pomel
• Ononis baetica Clemente
• Ononis biflora Desf.
• Ononis cossoniana Boiss. & Reut.
• Ononis cristata Mill.
• Ononis euphrasiifolia Desf.
• Ononis fruticosa L.
• Ononis inermis Pall.
• Ononis mitissima L.
• Ononis natrix L., Large Yellow Restharrow
• Ononis officinalis L.
• 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 L., Spiny Restharrow
• Ononis subspicata Lag.
• Ononis tridentata L.
• Ononis vaginalis Vahl
• Ononis variegata L.
• Ononis viscosa L.

External links

• Medicinal uses of O. arvensis in Armenia

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Woodgate, Katherine; Maxted, Nigel; Bennett, Sarita Jane (1996). "Genetic resources of Mediterranean pasture and forage legumes". In Bennett, Sarita Jane; Cocks, Philip Stanley. Genetic resources of Mediterranean pasture and forage legumes. Current Plant Science and Biotechnology in Agriculture. 33. Norwell, MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers. p. 205. ISBN 0-7923-5522-9. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Genus Nomenclature in GRIN". http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/gnlist.pl?1558. Retrieved 2010-07-09. 
3. ^ "Species Nomenclature in GRIN". http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?8470. Retrieved 2010-08-04.