RUE (ROUTE): HABITAT, SPECIES, PROPERTIES, CARE, DISEASES - BIOLOGY - 2025

La Rue (Ruta) is a genus of plants, including perennials and woody herbs, which belongs to the Rutaceae family. 9 different species are known, the most common and the most commercialized being the Ruta 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.

Plant belonging to the genus Ruta. Source: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz

They are plants native to the Mediterranean and Asia, where already in ancient times they were widely used to treat diseases and other ailments.

Description

Habit

With regard to 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.

Leaf

Its leaves have a leathery appearance, with colors ranging from green to bluish-green. The 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.

Rue leaves. Source: Photo by David J. Stang

Inflorescence

It is characterized by being of the corsage type, uniparous or biparous top. They have between 2 and 10 flowers each.

Flower

Its flowers grow in groups, they have between 4 to 5 petals showing an intense yellow color. Mostly hermaphroditic and actinomorphic.

Regarding 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.

With regard to the sepals and petals, their sepals are 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, dentate 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.

Fruit

It is capsule type. This is dehiscent by the internal angle of the apex of the apical appendages and has between four to five valves with apical appendix.

Seeds

They are numerous of the reniform type, with a thick or cerebroid testa.

Taxonomy

Plants of the genus Ruta commonly known as "rue", present the following taxonomic description:

-Kingdom: Plantae

-Filo: Tracheophyta

-Class: Magnoliopsida

-Order: Sapindales

-Family: Rutaceae

-Gender: Route.

Species

The genus Ruta has the following species and subspecies:

- Ruta angustifolia

This species is commonly known as rue de monte, rue wild or rue pestosa.

Description

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, this is made up of yellow petals, androecium of 8 (10) stamens, gynoecium of 4 (5) welded carpels. And its fruit is of the septicidal 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 child rickets and rheumatism; for the preparation of meals, alone or mixed with other spices; as an insecticide.

Ruta angustifolia Pers.

Source: John Sims

- Chalepensis route

It is usually also known as minor rue or louse herb. In it are two subspecies:

- Ruta chalepensis subsp. chalepensis.

- Ruta chalepensis subsp. fumariifolia.

Description

The Ruta chalepensis L. species is a hermaphroditic plant, up to 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.

It naturally grows in dry or humid soils, and is also a photosensitizing plant (a characteristic that it shares with other species).

It is widely used as an insecticidal plant, as it repels flies and mosquitoes, among other insects.

Flowers of Ruta chalepensis L.

Source: © Hans Hillewaert

- Corsican route

This species is also known as “rue de Córcega”.

Description

It is a phanerogamic 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 petiolate lower leaves.

Regarding its flowers, they are pale yellow, with small bracts and sepals of an ovate - obtuse shape and ovate, wavy petals. Regarding its fruits, these are elongated bunch type. It can generally develop on siliceous soils.

Corsica Roadmaps DC.

Source: User: Amada44

- Ruta graveolens

Regarding the genus Ruta, this species is the most commercialized. It is also known as official rue, rue leaf, heavy-smelling rue, common rue, or domestic rue.

Description

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 points.

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 black kidney-shaped 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.

Flowers of Ruta graveolens L.

Source: מרכז להב ה מגאר Pikiwiki Israel

- Route lamarmorae

This species is also known as the Sardinian Route.

Description

The lamarmorae Bacch Route., 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 for this plant are not yet known.

- Microcarpa route

Endemic species of the Island of La Gomera (Canary Islands), hence its common name «rue gomera».

Description

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.

- Mountain route

Commonly known as nightmare grass, mala lanua, rúa, rua, rue montana or rue montesina.

Description

It is a plant with somewhat bluish leaves, divided 2 or 3 times, without hairs. It is woody at the base and grows 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.

Ruta montana plant (L.) L.

Fuenta: Javier martin

- Route oreojasme

La Ruta pinnata 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 Ruta because it is a loose shrub, with light green pinnate leaves and entire leaflets. Its flowers are made up of patent petals.

Flor de Ruta pinnata L. fil.

Source: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz

Properties

The Ruta genus 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 quercetin.

- 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 majority of essential oils and active principles. Now, according to this, it has the following properties:

Medicinal properties

- They are emmenagogues or circulatory, since they stimulate blood flow.

- Hemostatic, helping to combat bleeding.

- Vermífugas, since they have parasitic action.

- Antiepileptics, helps fight seizures.

- Digestive, softens poor digestion.

- Anti-rheumatic, it is used by people with arthritis.

- Antiseptic, fights against microbes.

- Analgesic, helps relieve pain.

- Diuretic, helps eliminate fluid retention.

- Anti-inflammatory, reduces pain in the joints.

- 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 for the treatment of gastrointestinal infections.

- Antifungal, it is practical for the treatment of fungal infections.

- Calming, produces an effect on the nervous system, inducing general relaxation.

Insecticidal properties

Repels and eliminates insects, depending on the method used.

Chemical properties

According to studies carried out in the laboratory, the following are documented:

- From the root, the stem and the leaf, chloroform extracts are obtained, which allow the isolation of furanocoumarin chalepensin.

- The species R. graveolens 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 methylheptylketone, cineol and amounts minor methyl-n-nonylcarbinol.

- Likewise, the ethyl acetate extract of the leaves produces an alkaloid quinoline and four alkaloid quinolones.

- The presence of coumarins and limonoids can also be found.

- In cell cultures, the production of umbelliferone, psoralen, scopoletin, isopimpinellin, rutamyrin, xanthotoxine and rutacultin, and alkaloids has been observed.

Phytophototoxicity

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.

Care

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 the case 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 tolerant of frost.

- 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.

Diseases

The most common diseases present in the cultivation of rue are:

- Ash attack produced by the fungus Oidium sp. and leaf blight produced by the fungus Phoma sp.

- Burning of leaves and stem caused by the fungus Cladosporium sp., Which affects the plant causing 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 necrotizing and black dots from the fungus structures appear on the branches.

References

1. Alarcón J. 2011. Aromatic and medicinal plants. Important diseases and their therapeutic uses. Measurements for the winter season. Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario (ICA). Bogota DC. Colombia. 2011.
2. Catalog of Life: 2019 Annual Checklist. 2019. Genre Ruta. Taken from: catalogueoflife.org
3. Jiménez J. 1995. Medicinal plants of the Sierra Central de Piura: Chalaco, Pacaypampa and Santo Domingo. Space and Development. 7: 43-92.
4. Naveda G. 2010. Establishment of a process for obtaining rue extract (Ruda Graveolens), with a high content of polyphenols. Project prior to obtaining the title of agro-industrial engineer. National Polytechnic School, Faculty of Chemical and Agroindustrial Engineering, Quito. 2010.
5. Noguer B. 2018. Improving urban soil quality for city re-greening through learning-service actions. Final degree project to qualify for the degree in Chemistry. University of Barcelona, ​​Faculty of Chemistry. 2018.
6. Mora L. and Falquez F. 2005. Establishment of a collection of tropical medicinal species in the Quevedo area. Degree thesis to apply for the title of Forest Engineer. Quevedo State Technical University, Faculty of Environmental Sciences. Ecuador. 2005.
7. Romero O. and Latorre A. 2003. Approach to the floristic catalog of the Genal River Valley (Serranía de Ronda, Málaga, Spain). In Annual Biology. Publications Service of the University of Murcia. 25: 113-161.
8. Rosero M., Forero L. and Rosero A. 2015. Use of medicinal plants in the indigenous communities of Colombia. Case study: Indigenous community of the pastures (Nariño) and the vegetation of the páramo La Ortiga – Resguardo del Gran Cumbal. Ethnobotany and Phytotherapy in America, 199 p.