Rue (Ruta) is a genus of strongly scented evergreen subshrubs 20–60 cm tall, in the family Rutaceae, native to the Mediterranean region, Macaronesia and southwest Asia. There are perhaps 8 to 40 species in the genus. A well-known species is the Common Rue.

The leaves are bipinnate or tripinnate, with a feathery appearance, and green to strongly glaucous blue-green in colour. The flowers are yellow, with 4-5 petals, about 1 cm diameter, and borne in cymes. The fruit is a 4-5 lobed capsule, containing numerous seeds.

It is very bitter. It was used extensively in Middle Eastern cuisine in olden days, as well as in many ancient Roman recipes (according to Apicius), and it is still used in northern Africa. In Italy rue leaves are sometimes added to grappa to obtain grappa alla ruta.

Medicinal uses

Precautions

Literary references

Rue is well known for its symbolic meaning of regret and it is sometimes been called "herb-of-grace" in literary works. It is one of the flowers distributed by the mad Ophelia in William Shakespeare's Hamlet (IV.5):

:"There's fennel for you, and columbines: :there's rue for you; and here's some for me: :we may call it herb-grace o' Sundays: :O you must wear your rue with a difference..."

It was also planted by the gardener in Shakespeare's Richard II to mark the spot where the Queen wept upon hearing news of Richard's capture (III.4.104-105):

:"Here did she fall a tear, here in this place :I'll set a bank of rue, sour herb of grace."

Rue is considered a national herb of Lithuania and it is the most frequently referred herb in Lithuanian folk songs, as an attribute of young girls, associated with virginity and maidenhood.

In mythology, the basilisk, whose breath could cause plants to wilt and stones to crack, had no effect on rue. Weasels who were bitten by the basilisk would retreat and eat rue in order to recover and return to fight.

In the novel The Hunger Games, the female tribute from District 11 is named Rue.

The Tacuinum Sanitatis, a medieval handbook on wellness, lists these properties of rue:

Nature: Warm and dry in the third degree.

Optimum: That which is grown near a fig tree.

Usefulness: It sharpens the eyesight and dissipates flatulence.

Dangers: It augments the sperm and dampens the desire for coitus.

Neutralization of the Dangers: With foods that multiply the sperm.

Songs associated with rue

The progressive metal band Symphony X named a song "Absinthe and Rue" on their first album, Symphony X, and Kathleen Battle, American soprano, has recorded the song cycle "Honey and Rue" written by composer Andre Previn in collaboration with the Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison.

Many traditional English folk songs use rue to symbolise regret. Often it is paired with thyme: thyme used to symbolise virginity, and rue the regret supposed to follow its loss.

Una Matica de Ruda is a traditional Sephardic wedding song, dating back to the Middle Ages.

See also

References

Rūta Ščiogolevaitė (born June 25, 1981 in Šiauliai) is a Lithuanian singer. She took 2nd place in the national selection for Eurovision in 2004 and in 2007. She also judged music talent competitions on LNK and TV3.

Biography

Discography

Category:1981 births Category:Living people Category:Lithuanian female singers Category:Lithuanian singers Category:People from Šiauliai