Ononis

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 the grey pug and Coleophora ononidella (which feeds exclusively on O. arvensis). The genus Ononis currently includes thirty-one accepted species: