Definition

Noun 1. A perennial Eurasian subshrub: A low-growing, spiny plant of the pea family (Fabaceae), known for its tough, woody roots, spiny stems, and clusters of pink to purple flowers. It is commonly found in dry, grassy places.

Usage

• The word "Ononis spinosa" is a scientific botanical name. It is used in formal, academic, or horticultural contexts to precisely identify this specific species of plant.
• It functions as a singular, countable noun. The plural form is "Ononis spinosa" plants or simply multiple plants of .

Examples

• Botanists study the nitrogen-fixing properties of .
• The dry meadow was dotted with the purple flowers of .
• This herbal preparation contains an extract from the root of .

Advanced Usage

• In botanical taxonomy, "Ononis spinosa" is the binomial name (genus , species ). The specific epithet "" is Latin for "spiny," describing the plant's characteristic stems.
• It may be referenced in historical or traditional medicine texts for its purported diuretic properties.

Variants and Related Words

• Common Names: The plant has several common names in English, including spiny restharrow or simply restharrow. These names refer to its tough roots that were said to "arrest" or stop a harrow (a farming implement).
• Genus Name: Ononis refers to the genus containing this and related species.
• Adjective Form: The adjective spinose means spiny or thorny, deriving from the same Latin root.

Synonyms

• Spiny restharrow
• Restharrow
• (No direct common synonyms beyond its scientific and common names)

Related Phrases / Idioms

• (This is a specific scientific name and is not used in idiomatic expressions.)

Noun

1. Eurasian plant having loose racemes of pink or purple flowers and spiny stems and tough roots