Ononis repens

Common Restharrow ( ononis repens )

The Common Restharrow ( ononis repens ) is a part of a plant of the genus Hauhecheln belonging to the pea family ( Faboideae ).

Description

The species is a perennial, herbaceous to woody plant that reaches heights of growth between 30 and 60 cm in the rule. The stem grows streamer -like - prostrate to ascending. The ascending side branches have no or very few soft spines. The stem is round glandular - downy and scattered villous hairs. The leaflets of the threefold leaves are about 7 to 22 mm long, ovate and usually rounded or emarginate in front. You are glandular- hairy and cut around the edge. The pink, red, axillary flowers almost always sit individually in a loose total inflorescence. The calyx is glandular at the base and has long, horizontally projecting hairs. The sleeves are shorter than the calyx.

The Common Restharrow predominantly flowers in the months of June and July.

• Details of the flower
• Habit

Locations and distribution

The species grows in semi-arid grassland companies such as dry pastures. They usually prefers nutrient -containing clay and limestone soils.

The Common Restharrow comes from temperate Europe over the Pyrenees before to Morocco. East of it penetrates to western Poland and Macedonia. She is a subatlantisch - submediterranes Florenelement.

In Germany, the Common Restharrow is widespread and most frequently found. Only in North West Germany it is missing some over long distances. In Austria, the species is scattered to rare and is classified as endangered, while they are quite often found in Switzerland.

Taxonomy

On the basis of hybridization experiments, in particular with the Thorny restharrow ( ononis spinosa), provisions of individual specimens are often difficult because there is a large variety of shapes. Therefore, the two types are sometimes combined into a " species group ononis spinosa agg. " For simplification. The extraordinary richness of form is further increased, that factors such as season, fertilization, grazing or mowing may contribute to a very different appearance of the species. A final taxonomic evaluation of the entire shape complex is still pending. Currently there are two subspecies of Thorny restharrow: first, the widespread ononis repens ssp. procurrens ( Ordinary Common Restharrow ), as well as possibly occurring in Lower Saxony ononis repens ssp. repens ( Dune restharrow ), which differs inter alia by smaller flowers.