Goat’s rue, or Galega
Goat’s rue, or Galega (lat. Galega) is a small genus of herbaceous perennial plants belonging to the glorious family Legumes (lat. Fabaceae).
This very decorative tall plant is grown by gardeners to decorate flower beds. When used to feed livestock, Goat’s rue is believed to increase milk production. Galega is also a natural healer; in particular, the plant’s ability to lower blood sugar levels in humans is used to treat diabetes.
What’s in your name
The Latin name of the plant genus “Galega” is based on the ancient Greek word “gala”, meaning “milk” in Russian. According to one version, the genus owes this name to the white sap that flows through the vessels of plants and protrudes outward if its plant tissue is wounded.
But there is another version. The plant, which came to Europe and Asia from the Middle East, was readily grown by people as feed for livestock. It was believed that such food increased milk yield in cows and goats, which became the basis for this genus name.
The genus has many popular names, including “French Lilac” (French lilac), “Professor-weed” (Professor-weed), “Goat’s-rue” (Goat’s rue) and many others.
Description
The perennial plant is supported by a taproot that obtains food from the depths of the soil. A rather bare stem, eighty to one hundred and twenty centimeters high, is born on the surface of the earth.
The branched stem is covered with complex unpaired pinnate leaves with long stems, on which there can be from three to nine such pairs with a leaflet at the end of the stem. The leaves are ovate-lanceolate, often with a pointed tip, with smooth edges. The loose, narrow stipules look like sentinels at the base of the stems of a compound leaf.
Axillary or terminal racemes-inflorescences are formed by numerous flowers. Goat’s rue flowers are an excellent standard of the corolla type flower, possessing two lateral “wings” and single lower petals forming a “keel”. The color of the petals ranges from white-light purple to blue. There are ten stamens in the center of the corolla. The protective cup of the corolla is five-lobed.
The fruit of Galega is a rather straight, cylindrical pod, traditional for plants of the Legume family, with a bare surface and numerous bean seeds inside.
Varieties
Today, the genus includes only five plant species in its ranks. Of these, two species are found in the wild in the south of our country, and are also grown by humans as feed for livestock and as a good honey plant in more northern regions.
One of them is Goat’s rue (lat. Galega officinalis), which often grows in the wild, but is sometimes cultivated. The second is the eastern goat’s rue (lat. Galega orientalis), more often welcomed by gardeners and easily hunted.
In North America, for example, there is concern that “Goat’s-rue” will crossbreed and become a problematic alien, becoming a nuisance weed in manicured farm fields.
Healing abilities
Although diabetes today is a disease that cannot be completely cured, there are drugs that significantly reduce sugar levels, thereby easing the condition of the sick person’s body. Such healers include plants of the genus “Galega”.
In addition, the ability of plants to increase milk production in pets is advertised for nursing mothers, guaranteeing them an increase in lactation when using Goat’s Rue.
The plant also has such abilities as diaphoretic, diuretic and anthelmintic. To prepare potions, traditional medicine uses plant herbs, that is, stems, leaves and flowers.
