rue
- Also called:
- common rue
rue, (Ruta graveolens), small perennial shrub in the family Rutaceae used as a culinary and medicinal herb. Native to the Balkan Peninsula, rue is cultivated for its strongly aromatic leaves, which can be used fresh or dry in small amounts.
Physical description
Rue is an evergreen plant with gland-studded foliage. The feathery pinnately compound leaves usually have two or three leaflets and are often gray-green or blue-green in colour. The dull yellow flowers are borne in clusters and produce lobed capsules with numerous seeds.
Uses
Rue has a bitter flavour and is not used widely. It is a component of berbere, a characteristic spice mixture of Ethiopia and Eritrea, and is a traditional flavouring in certain Mediterranean countries. The fragrant leaves can be used as an insect repellent and in nosegay bouquets.
The plant has a long history of use in traditional and herbal medicine, particularly to stimulate menstruation and as an abortifacient. Such preparations are unlikely to terminate a pregnancy; they also may induce vomiting, hemorrhages, and liver damage, which can be lethal in severe cases. In addition to rue being hepatotoxic in large doses, skin contact to the plant can cause severe phytophotodermatitis and burnlike blisters following sun exposure.
Other species
Meadow rue is an unrelated plant of the genus Thalictrum in the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae).