rue

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• garden rue
• herb-of-grace
• Rue
• common rue
• Ave Grace
• Countryman's Tracle
• Countryman's Treacle
• Herb Of Grace
• Herb Of Repentance
• Herb Of Repentence

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Ruta hortensis
• Ruta graveolens var. macrophylla
• Ruta subtripinnata
• Ruta graveolens var. divaricata
• Ruta officinalis
• Ruta divaricata
• Ruta diversifolia
• Ruta graveolens f. variegata
• Ruta graveolens subsp. hortensis
• Ruta graveolens var. crithmifolia
• Ruta graveolens subsp. divaricata
• Ruta graveolens var. variegata
• Ruta ciliata
• Ruta crithmifolia
• Ruta altera
• Ruta holopetala

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Sapindales, it is classified under the family Rutaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Ruta and the species graveolens.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution pattern across several European regions. In Northern Europe, its presence can be identified within Great Britain. Moving into Middle Europe, the species is found in Austria and Belgium. It also populates the territories of Czechia-Slovakia. Finally, its range extends through the landscape of Germany.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Ruta graveolens is characterized by its adaptability to diverse topographical conditions, thriving across a broad altitudinal gradient that spans from as low as 50 m AMSL to elevations reaching a maximum of 3000 m AMSL. It typically colonizes rugged environments, showing a strong preference for mountains and stony places where soil may be thin or rocky. This ability to inhabit well-drained, lithic substrates allows the species to persist in challenging terrains that define its natural ecological niche.

Elevational range max:

3000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

50 m AMSL

Habitat :

mountains, stony places

Life history

The life history of Ruta graveolens is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. In terms of its growth habit and structural organization, it is classified as a chamaephyte, a life form where the majority of the plant's vegetative organs are located close to or just above the soil surface, often protected by seasonal litter. This botanical classification is consistent across its morphological descriptions, identifying it specifically as a chamaephyte within the broader spectrum of life forms.

Life form :

chamaephyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Ruta graveolens is characterized by its growth form as a woody herb or forb. It functions as a self-supporting, independent organism that is neither a climber nor a parasite, and it maintains a terrestrial lifestyle rather than being aquatic or epiphytic. The plant exhibits a variable height, typically ranging from a minimum of 0.2 m to a maximum of 1.5 m, with a mean plant height of approximately 0.375 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.5 m

Plant height mean:

0.375 m

Plant height min:

0.2 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiological profile of Ruta graveolens is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which governs its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The vegetative morphology is defined by elliptic leaf forms that serve as the primary sites for gas exchange and light absorption. These leaves exhibit significant dimensional variation, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 4 cm to a maximum of 11 cm. Furthermore, the leaf width fluctuates between a minimum of 3 cm and a maximum of 7 cm, providing a specific surface area optimized for its metabolic requirements within its ecological niche.

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

11 cm

Leaf length min:

4 cm

Leaf width max:

7 cm

Leaf width min:

3 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Ruta graveolens is characterized by a flowering period that typically begins in June and concludes in August. The plant produces yellow flowers arranged in a cyme inflorescence, with individual flowers measuring between 0.6 cm and 0.7 cm in length. The pollination process is biotic in nature, specifically utilizing an insect pollination syndrome. Notably, self-fertilization is absent in this species, necessitating cross-pollination. Following fertilization, the plant develops fruit in the form of a capsule. These capsules are dehiscent, meaning they split open to release the seeds. The seeds are quite small, with a mean mass of approximately 0.0020936665 g, ranging from a minimum of 0.00197 g to a maximum of 0.00266 g. Regarding the movement of progeny, the species exhibits an anthropochorous dispersal syndrome, indicating that human activity plays a role in its seed dispersal.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower colour :

yellow

Flower length max:

0.7 cm

Flower length min:

0.6 cm

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit type :

capsule

Inflorescence :

cyme

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass max:

0.00266 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0020936665 g

Seed mass min:

0.00197 g

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Ruta graveolens has 4 reported plant parts identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, fruit, root, stem.

Leaf

1. Bioinorganic chemistry and applications
2. Planta medica
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Genetics and molecular research : GMR

Fruit

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Root

1. Planta medica

Stem

1. Planta medica

Chemicals

Ruta graveolens has 104 reported phytochemicals identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include RUTIN, Bergapten, Dictamnine, Graveolinine, Kokusaginine.

RUTIN

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine
3. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences
4. Current reviews in clinical and experimental pharmacology
5. Experimental cell research

Bergapten

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences
3. Mutation research

Dictamnine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Mutation research
3. Mutagenesis

Graveolinine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences
3. Current reviews in clinical and experimental pharmacology

Kokusaginine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences
3. Mutagenesis

Psoralen

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences
3. Mutation research

Skimmianine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Mutation research
3. Mutagenesis

gamma-Fagarine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Mutation research
3. Mutagenesis

Arborinine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Planta medica

Chalepensin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Planta medica

Activities

Ruta graveolens has 426 reported activities identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Antidiabetic, Antiinflammatory.

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Current reviews in clinical and experimental pharmacology

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Anticancer research

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM

Antiinflammatory

1. Dr. Duke
2. Current reviews in clinical and experimental pharmacology

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Planta medica

Clastogenic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP

Cytotoxic

1. Dr. Duke
2. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM

Genotoxic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP

Conditions

Ruta graveolens has 39 reported investigations on conditions identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Alzheimer's disease, Candida albicans, Diabetes mellitus, Trichomonas vaginalis, Vitiligo.

Alzheimer's disease

1. Current medicinal chemistry

Candida albicans

1. Cureus

Diabetes mellitus

1. African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM

Trichomonas vaginalis

1. Turkiye parazitolojii dergisi

Vitiligo

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Airway remodeling

1. Current pharmaceutical design

Analgesic

1. Current reviews in clinical and experimental pharmacology

Antihelmintics

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Asthma

1. Current pharmaceutical design

Backache

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Preparations

Ruta graveolens has 20 reported preparations identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include EOs, extracts, EtOH extract of the dried aerial parts, Extracts, Methanolic extract.

Eos

1. Letters in applied microbiology
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Extracts

1. Brazilian journal of otorhinolaryngology
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Etoh extract of the dried aerial parts

1. Journal of natural products

Extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Methanolic extract

1. Anticancer research

Ruta 200c

1. Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP

Aqueous extracts

1. Turkiye parazitolojii dergisi

Chloroform extracts

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Decoction

1. Clinical toxicology (Philadelphia, Pa.)

Dried medicinal herb

1. Genetics and molecular research : GMR