Description

Fringed Rue commonly known as rue, common rue or herb-of-grace, is a species of Ruta grown as an ornamental plant and herb. It is native to the Balkan Peninsula. It is now grown throughout the world in gardens, especially for its bluish leaves, and sometimes for its tolerance of hot and dry soil conditions. It is also cultivated as a medicinal herb, as a condiment, and to a lesser extent as an insect repellent.

Characteristics:

It is a perennial herb growing up to 80 centimeters tall. The leaves are compound, each divided into several segments which are subdivided into smaller leaflets. The inflorescence is a cluster of flowers, each with four or five bright yellow petals with rolled, fringed edges. The fruit is a textured capsule which is divided into pointed lobes. The divided leaves have a strong and unpleasant smell when crushed. When not in flower, this woody, evergreen subshrub has a somewhat blue-grey overall appearance. The leaves are bipinnate or tripinnate, with a feathery appearance, and green to strongly glaucous blue-green in colour. The flowers are yellow, with 4–5 petals, about 1 cm diameter, and borne in cymes. The fruit is a 4–5-lobed capsule, containing numerous seeds.

Medicinal Uses:

According to Ayurveda, the plant pacifies vitiated vata, kapha, epilepsy, convulsions, insanity, hysteria, fever, febrile fits, indigestion, colic and poison stings. The plant is a nervine stimulant. It cause uterine contraction in higher dose; hence it is contraindicated in pregnancy.