Ononis

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

See text

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

Ononis is a genus of 80–90 species of perennial herbs and subshrubs in the legume family Fabaceae. The members of this genus are called restharrows; an old spelling "wrestharrows" is also recorded from 1965. as some species grow as weeds on arable lands where their tough roots would catch and stop the harrow. The genus is native to Europe, northern and eastern Africa, and western and central Asia.

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).