The rue (Route) is a genus of plants, including perennial and woody herbs, that belongs to the Rutaceae family. 9 different species are known, being the most common and the most commercialized Route graveolens, better known as "common rue".
This genus stands out for its properties and active principles. They are aromatized plants with a strong smell and in some cases they can cause allergies. Its commercialization as a medicinal plant is very common despite its toxicity, so its use should be done with caution..
They are plants native to the Mediterranean and Asia, where already in ancient times they were widely used to treat conditions and other ailments.
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Regarding its development, you can find evergreen shrubs and subshrubs, with heights ranging from 20 to 75 cm, and in some cases it can reach 1.5 m in height..
Rue groups perennial and woody herbs at the base. According to the species, its stems are more or less branched and hard. They can be upward or erect.
Plants of this genus are characterized by being long-lived plants. They have lysigenic, spheroidal, translucent secretory glands or cavities, with yellow, green or black colors, which emit an intense and acrid odor..
Its leaves have a leathery appearance, with colors ranging from green to bluish-green. Petioles are branched into smaller petioles. Its leaves are divided into numerous segments, from linear to oblong, whole or stipulaceous..
They are alternate, 1, 2 or 3 pinnatisects, which can be sessile or petiolate with their non-winged rachis.
It is characterized by being of the corsage type, uniparous or biparous top. They have between 2 and 10 flowers each.
Its flowers grow in groups, they have between 4 to 5 petals showing an intense yellow color. Mostly hermaphroditic and actinomorphic.
As for its bracts, the lower ones are foliaceous, 1 (2) pinnatisect, and the upper ones are linear to lanceolate or triangular. They can be whole or toothed, devoid of pubescence or with trichomes; pedicels can be found the same size as the capsule or longer, without pubescence or with glandular trichomes.
Regarding the sepals and petals, their sepals of 4 to 5 in the terminal flowers that can be free, triangular to lanceolate or deltoid, with entire edge or toothed, with the presence of glands and some glandular hairs..
Its petals, also 4 to 5 in the central flower, can be found whole, wavy, toothed or lacinnate, somewhat laced, and yellow to greenish..
Its stamens are arranged in 8 (10), being glabrous filaments, yellow in color, with brown anthers. Finally, your ovary has 4 (5) carpels, more or less soldiers, and with prominent glands.
It is capsule type. This is dehiscent by the internal angle of the apex of the apical appendages and has between four to five leaflets with apical appendix..
They are numerous of the reniform type, with a thick or cerebroid testa.
Plants of the genus Route commonly known as “rue”, they present the following taxonomic description:
-Kingdom: Plantae
-Phylum: Tracheophyta
-Class: Magnoliopsida
-Order: Sapindales
-Family: Rutaceae
-Gender: Route.
The gender Route presents the following species and subspecies:
This species is commonly known as rue de monte, rue wild or rue pestosa.
The rue de monte is characterized by being a perennial herb, woody at the base, which can reach up to 75 cm in height, with glabrous and erect stems. It has its leaves arranged alternately from 2 to 3 pinnatisects, with lanceolate or oblong - obovate leaf segments..
Its inflorescence is cimosa, terminal, and its hermaphrodite flowers are actinomorphic, tetrameric except for the terminal flower, which is pentameric..
Regarding its corolla, it is made up of yellow petals, androecium of 8 (10) stamens, gynoecium of 4 (5) welded carpels. And its fruit is of the septicide capsule type.
It should be noted that it is a plant that can grow easily in dry meadows.
It is used as a medicinal plant against rheumatic attacks, muscle and bone pain; for the production of oils against childhood rickets and rheumatism; for the preparation of meals, alone or mixed with other spices; as an insecticide.
It is usually also known as minor rue or louse herb. In it are two subspecies:
- Ruta chalepensis subsp. chalepensis.
- Ruta chalepensis subsp. fumariifolia.
The species Chalepensis route L., is a hermaphroditic plant, up to about 75cm tall, lignified at the base, with alternate leaves divided into small leaf segments. They have an oblong lanceolate shape and rounded apices.
This plant differs from the other species, by the presence of numerous and thin marginal lascinias, and by having a totally glabrous inflorescence.
Naturally it develops in dry or humid soils, being also a photosensitizing plant (characteristic that it shares with other species).
It is widely used as an insecticidal plant, as it repels flies and mosquitoes, among other insects..
This species is also known as "rue de Córcega".
It is a phanerogam plant that is characterized by reaching a height between 10 to 50 cm. Its main stem is flexuous and glabrous. Its leaves are triangular in shape on its periphery, with obovate leaflets and its lower petiolate leaves..
Regarding its flowers, these are pale yellow, with small bracts and sepals of an ovate - obtuse shape and ovate, wavy petals. As for its fruits, these are elongated bunch type. It can generally develop in siliceous soils.
Regarding gender Route, this species is the most commercialized. It is also known as official rue, rue leaf, heavy-smelling rue, common rue, or domestic rue..
According to its characteristics, it is a species that differs by being a sub-shrub perennial, which indicates that it is a small woody shrub at the base, the arrangement of its branches are at ground level and can reach approximately 20 cm in height..
Its stem is round, strong and erect. Its leaves are small, soft (2 to 3 pinnate), bluish-green in color and with small glandular spots..
As for the flowers, these are arranged in corymbs at the ends of the branches, yellow or greenish yellow, with 4 to 5 petals located in a circle. It has a capsule-type fruit and kidney-shaped black seeds.
It is usually grown as an ornamental plant for its striking colors. It is also used as a medicinal plant and condiment for meals.
This species is also known as the Sardinian Route.
The Lamarmorae route Bacch., Brullo & Giusso, is characterized by being a plant with woody stems at its base, generally small. As for its fruit, it is capsule type, with arched seeds. Uses of this plant are not yet known.
Endemic species of the Island of La Gomera (Canary Islands), hence its common name "ruda gomera".
It differs from the other species by being one of the tallest shrubs. These have heights between 80 cm and 1.5 meters and are highly branched. It is a hermaphroditic plant. Its leaves are crass and fragrant, oddipinnate, with a somewhat crenulate margin and a more petioled apical margin..
Regarding its flowers, these are yellow with terminal inflorescences. With small globose fruits, which contain black granular and tuberculate seeds.
It is normally found in bushes. Like the other species, it produces caustic substances for the skin.
Commonly known as nightmare grass, mala lanua, rúa, rua, rue montana or rue montesina.
It is a plant with somewhat bluish leaves, divided 2 or 3 times, without hairs. It is woody at the base and grows up to 70 cm in height. Its flowers are yellow, slightly open, grouped at the end of the branches. They are composed of 4 petals. It has 1.5 to 3 mm capsules with a short pedicel. It is also used as a medicinal plant.
It is a plant known as rue grancanaria, because it is an endemism of the islands.
It is a small shrub which is up to 60 cm tall. Loosely branched, its stems can be erect in young plants and hanging in adult plants, with pinnate oval blue-glaucous leaves 6 cm long and entire and obtuse leaflets..
Its flowers are large, grouped in terminal inflorescences, with erect yellow petals. Regarding the fruit, this is capsule type.
The Pinnate route L. fil., It is an endemic species of the Canary Islands, hence its common name "Ruda canaria".
In relation to its characteristics, this species differs from the others present in the genus Route for being a loose shrub, with light green pinnate leaves and entire leaflets. Its flowers are made up of patent petals.
The gender Route, It has a variety of properties due to its components and active principles, which are:
- Essential oils (0.28% in the leaves and 1% in the seeds), methyl-nonyl-ketone, methyl-n-octyl-ketone and heptyl-methyl-ketone.
- Flavonoids such as rutin and quercithin.
- Alkaloids (quinolones): coquisagenine and skimmianine graveoline.
- Resinous and peptide materials.
- Bitter principles, tannins, gums, alkaloids, rutin and coumarins.
- Alcohols such as methyl ethyl carbinol, pinene, limenenes.
It is important to note that its leaves are the ones that contain the most essential oils and active ingredients. Now, according to this, it has the following properties:
- They are emmenagogue or circulatory, since they stimulate blood flow.
- Hemostats, helping to combat bleeding.
- Vermífugas, since they have parasitic action.
- Antiepileptic, helps fight seizures.
- Digestive, softens poor digestion.
- Anti-rheumatic, it is used by people with arthritis.
- Antiseptic, fights microbes.
- Analgesic, helps relieve pain.
- Diuretic, helps eliminate fluid retention.
- Anti-inflammatory, reduces joint pain.
- Antiscorbutic, has a high content of vitamin C.
- Antiparasitic, helps in the elimination of parasites present in the body.
- Antispasmodic, reduces muscle pain and menstrual cramps.
- Antibacterial, it is used to treat gastrointestinal infections.
- Antifungal, it is practical for the treatment of fungal infections.
- Calming, produces an effect on the nervous system, inducing general relaxation.
Repels and eliminates insects, depending on the method used.
According to studies carried out in the laboratory, the following are documented:
- Chloroform extracts are obtained from the root, stem and leaf, which allow the isolation of furanocoumarin chalepensin.
- The species R. graveolens It is characterized by containing two main constituents in its essential oil, such as 2-Undecanone (46.8%) and nonan-2-one (18.8%), in addition to containing methylheptyl ketone, cineol and minor amounts of methyl-n- nonylcarbinol.
- Likewise, the ethyl acetate extract of the leaves produces an alkaloid quinoline and four alkaloid quinolones..
- Coumarins and limonoids can also be found.
- In cell cultures, the production of umbelliferone, psoralen, scopoletin, isopimpinellin, rutamyrin, xanthotoxine and rutacultin, and of alkaloids has been observed..
This genus, in addition to having many properties, medicinal and culinary uses, is characterized by having toxic components.
It is important to note that it has a photoirritating effect when applied directly to the skin, causing irritation and burns..
This effect is due to its content of essential oils such as furocoumarins and methoxypsoralen and alkaloids such as graveolin, which cause extreme sensitivity to sun exposure, the appearance of blisters and skin lesions..
Plants of this genus can develop and grow under different conditions. However, they have the following needs:
- They are tolerant plants to different pH, since it can develop in acidic, neutral and basic pH.
- They are not demanding with the type of substrate, however soils with a sandy, loamy or clayey texture are recommended..
- They can develop in dry or humid soils, but maintaining constant irrigation in cases of dry soils.
- It is a moderately demanding plant of sunlight, being able to grow in places with semi-shade. Direct sun exposure is not recommended.
- They resist cold, but are not frost tolerant.
- Their temperatures vary between 16 ° C and 22 ° C.
- There are reports of the development of these plants at altitude up to 3000 meters above sea level..
- Regarding watering, it should be done in moderation, limited to 2 or 3 times a week.
- Regarding the range of precipitation, this should preferably be between 600 and 2000 mm / year.
The most common diseases present in the cultivation of rue are:
- Ash attacks produced by the fungus Oidium sp. and leaf blight produced by the fungus Phoma sp.
- Leaf and stem burning caused by the fungus Cladosporium sp., which affects the plant producing a drying of the terminal shoots and areas along the stem.
- Likewise, this fungus causes drying, which mainly affects young leaves and causes dark spots on the shoots, with irregular pale yellow edges. Descending necrotization and black spots from the fungus structures appear on the branches..
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