Description:
Perennial growing to 0.6m.
A troublesome weed, with a root that affords a sweet, viscid
juice. Common in arable land. Its long, thicklymatted root will
arrest the progress of the harrow, hence its name.
Distribution and habitat:
Meadow.
Spiny Rest Harrow is native of most of Europe, including Britain,
to N. Africa and temperate Asia.
Hystory:
Spiny Rest Harrow is a favourite food of the donkey, from which
the generic name is derived, onos being the Greek word for an
ass.
A tradition exists that this was the plant from which the crown
of thorns was plaited for the Crucifixion.
The plant is obnoxious to snakes.
Parts used:
Whole herb.
Constituens:
Edible Uses:
Edible Parts: Flowers; Leaves; Root.
Young shoots - cooked. Used as a potherb. Roots - chewed for
their liquorice-like flavour. Flowers - raw. They are used
as a decoration on salads.
Medicinal Uses:
Antitussive;
Aperient;
Diuretic;
Lithontripic.
The roots, leaves and flowers are
antitussive,
aperient,
diuretic
and
lithontripic.
The root contains a fixed oil that is anti-diuretic and an
essential oil
that is diuretic.
If the diuretic action
is required then the root should be infused and not decocted
or the essential oil
will be evaporated. An infusion is used in the treatment
of dropsy, inflammation of the bladder and kidneys,
rheumatism and chronic skin disorders.
The roots are used occasionally, they are harvested in the
autumn, cut into slices and carefully dried for later use.
The young shoots are more commonly used, either fresh or
dried. They can be harvested throughout the summer. A cough
mixture is made from the bark.
Others Uses:
None known
Safety:
None known
