Galega officinalis

Galega officinalis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Galega
Species:
G. officinalis
Binomial name
Galega officinalis
Synonyms
List
    • Accorombona tricolor (Hook.) Benth. ex Walp. (1842)
    • Callotropis tricolor (Hook.) G.Don (1832)
    • Galega alba Schult. (1809)
    • Galega bicolor Boiss. & Hausskn. (1868)
    • Galega biloba Sweet (1826)
    • Galega coronilloides Freyn & Sint. (1893)
    • Galega officinalis var. albiflora Halácsy (1900)
    • Galega patula Steven (1856)
    • Galega persica Pers. (1807)
    • Galega tricolor Hook. (1825)
    • Galega vulgaris Lam. (1779)
    • Tephrosia tricolor (Hook.) Sweet (1830)

Galega officinalis, commonly known as galega or goat's-rue, is a herbaceous plant in the subfamily Faboideae of the legume family Fabaceae. It is native to parts of northern Africa, western Asia and Europe, but is widely cultivated and naturalised elsewhere. The plant has been extensively cultivated as a forage crop, an ornamental, a bee plant, and as green manure.

G. officinalis is rich in galegine, a substance with blood glucose-lowering activity and the foundation for the discovery of metformin, a treatment for managing symptoms of diabetes mellitus. In ancient herbalism, goat's-rue was used as a diuretic. It can be poisonous to mammals, but is a food for various insects.