Fabaceae FAMILY

Ononis spinosa

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Ononis spinosa is an erect, usually spiny, much-branched perennial plant with stems that become more or less woody, especially near the base, and persist; it can grow up to 80cm tall[ 74 Title Flora of the USSR. Publication Author Komarov. V. L. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Israel Program for Scientific Translation Year 1968 ISBN - Description An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet. , 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and occasionally as a food. The roots are an ingredient of proprietary herbal mixes that are traded for use as a diuretic and antidiabetic[ 1546 Title Wound healing acceleration effect of endemic Ononis species growing in Turkey Publication Journal of Ethnopharmacology 135 (2011) 63-70 Author Süntar I.; Baldemir A.; Coskun M.; Keles H.; Akkol E.K. Publisher Year 2011 ISBN Description ]. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental in gardens.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeEurasia - Norway to Britain and Portugal, east through the Caucasua, Turkey and Syria to Afghanistan and the Himalayas; N. Africa - Morocco to Libya

HabitatChalk and limestone grassland, stony hillsides and open pine forests[ 187 Title Perennials. Volumes 1 and 2. Publication Author Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Publisher Pan Books Year 1991 ISBN 0-330-30936-9 Description Photographs of over 3,000 species and cultivars of ornamental plants together with brief cultivation notes, details of habitat etc. ], mainly on dry stony ground[ 7 Title Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. Publication Author Chiej. R. Publisher MacDonald Year 1984 ISBN 0-356-10541-5 Description Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs. ]. Solitary or forming close stands in meadows, field borders, scrub, and sometimes riverbanks; growing on clayey, calcareous or chernozem soil[ 74 Title Flora of the USSR. Publication Author Komarov. V. L. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Israel Program for Scientific Translation Year 1968 ISBN - Description An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ].