rest harrow

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• rest-harrow
• trailing restharrow
• field restharrow

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Ononis arvensis subsp. spinosa
• Ononis arvensis f. subrepens
• Ononis spinescens
• Ononis arvensis subsp. spinescens
• Ononis spinosa var. mitis
• Ononis altissima
• Ononis mitis
• Ononis hircina var. spinosohircina
• Anonis arvensis
• Ononis hircina var. subrepens
• Ononis spinosohircina
• Ononis hircina var. spinescens
• Bonaga mitis
• Ononis hircina var. krylovii
• Bonaga arvensis
• Bonaga hircina
• Ononis hircina var. spinosiformis
• Ononis laevis
• Ononis hircina var. mollis
• Ononis hircina var. glandulosa
• Ononis hircina var. inermis
• Ononis spinosa subsp. spinosiformis
• Ononis spinosiformis
• Ononis spinosa subsp. arvensis
• Ononis occidentalis
• Ononis hircina
• Ononis repens subsp. arvensis
• Ononis spinosiformis var. nyirsegensis
• Ononis inermis
• Ononis repens subsp. spinosiformis
• Ononis arvensis var. spinescens
• Ononis semihircina
• Ononis semihircina var. nyirsegensis
• Ononis spinosa subsp. hircina
• Ononis spinosa var. arvensis
• Ononis hircina var. indica
• Ononis arvensis var. spinosa
• Ononis arvensis var. inermis

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Fabales, it is further classified under the family Fabaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Ononis.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution pattern across several parts of the European continent. In Northern Europe, it can be found growing in the countries of Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Moving toward the central part of the continent, its presence extends into Middle Europe. Specifically, the species is documented to inhabit the territory of Austria. Therefore, its range spans from the Scandinavian peninsula down to the Alpine regions.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Oonis arvensis is characterized by its ability to colonize a diverse range of open and disturbed environments. It is frequently found inhabiting crop fields, meadows, and old fields, where it takes advantage of seasonal disturbances and available sunlight. Additionally, the species thrives in moist or riparian settings such as rivers, as well as within the dense, transitional vegetation of shrubberies. This broad adaptability across varying soil conditions and moisture levels allows it to persist in both agricultural landscapes and semi-natural ecosystems.

Habitat :

crop fields, meadows, old fields, rivers, shrubberies

Life history

The life history of Ononis arvensis is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a hemicryptophyte, it maintains its perennating buds at the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or soil, which facilitates its survival during unfavorable conditions. This species exhibits a deciduous growth habit, shedding its foliage seasonally as part of its natural cycle.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Ononis arvensis is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and specifically a forb. The plant is self-supporting rather than a climber and functions as an independent organism, not acting as a parasite. It typically grows in terrestrial habitats. In terms of stature, the plant exhibits a variable height, generally ranging from a minimum of 0.3 m to a maximum of 0.8 m, with an average plant height of approximately 0.5 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.8 m

Plant height mean:

0.5 m

Plant height min:

0.3 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Ononis arvensis is characterized by its specialized metabolic processes and structural adaptations suited to its environmental niche. A fundamental aspect of its metabolic function is its photosynthetic pathway, which follows the C3 cycle, utilizing the enzyme RuBisCO to fix atmospheric carbon dioxide directly during the Calvin cycle. This C3 pathway dictates the plant's water-use efficiency and carbon assimilation patterns, typically necessitating optimal moisture availability to maintain stomatal conductance and prevent photorespiration. Furthermore, its physiological framework supports the synthesis of diverse secondary metabolites, such as flavonoids and tannins, which are integrated into its metabolic pathways to provide chemical defense and facilitate environmental resilience.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Ononis arvensis is characterized by a specific seasonal flowering period that typically begins in July and concludes in August. The plant utilizes a biotic pollination syndrome, relying specifically on insects to facilitate the transfer of pollen. Notably, self-fertilization is absent in this species, necessitating cross-pollination to ensure genetic diversity. Once fertilization occurs, the plant employs an autochorous dispersal syndrome, meaning it utilizes an autochorous mechanism to spread its seeds. These seeds are quite small, possessing a mean seed mass of approximately 0.004935 g, which aids in the plant's reproductive cycle.

Dispersal syndrome :

autochorous

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Aug

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass mean:

0.004935 g

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Ononis arvensis has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Lectin, serine, threonine.

Lectin

1. Biochimica et biophysica acta

serine

1. Biochimica et biophysica acta

threonine

1. Biochimica et biophysica acta