Tas. 8190. 
RHEUM rInoprnatoum. 
Tibet. 
PonyGonackAk. Tribe RumIcHAE. 
- Ruzvum, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. iii. p. 100. 
- Rheum inopinatum, Prain; species R. racemifero, Maxim., magis affinis, 
statura tamen minore, thyrsis omnibus simplicibus, staminibus calycis 
lacinias haud carinatas apice nequaquam cucullatas manifeste excedenti- 
bus, fructusque alis rigidulis disco latioribus differt. 
Herba perenuis, rhizomate valido 2 cm. crasso. Caulis gracilis, ruber, parce 
scabridus, 25-35 cm. altus, 0°5 em. crassus. /olia coriacea, plus minusve 
bullata, plurima basilaria, subrosulata, caulina saepe 0, nonnunquam 1, 
raro 2, supra nervis rubescentibus parce scabridis exceptis pallide viridia, 
subtus nervis rubidis scabridis exceptis viridi-glauca, basi truncata vel 
cordata, ibique 3-5-nervia, nervo primario medio secundarios 8-10 pinnatim 
emittente, lateralibus secundarios 4-6 versus marginem excurrentes emit- 
tentibus, apice rotundata, margine parum sinuata et minute crenulata, 
8-15 em. longa, 5-12 em. lata; petiolus semicylindricus, rubidus, 4-10 cm. 
longus, praesertim subtus scabridus, Jnflorescentia paniculata, e thyrsis 
racemiformibus e quavis axilla solitariis 5-12 cm. longis composita, florifera 
fastigiata, fructifera pyramidata, 15-25 em. longa, 7-12 em. lata. Flores 
fasciculati, pedicellis gracilibus 4-5 mm. longis infra medium articulatis 
breviores. Calycis laciniae oblongae, obtusae, 3 mm. longae, staminibus 
breviores. Stamina saepissime 9, quorum 3 exteriora interioribus 6 param 
longiora. Achaenia e basi cordata orbicularia, triptera, rubra, 10-12 mm. 
longa lataque, alis margine subintegris, nervo a margine remoto. 
The late Mr. Maximowicz in promising a review of the 
species of Aheum (Mel. Biol. xi. 686, footnote) which his 
untimely death prevented him from completing, has sug- 
gested as useful the subdivision of the genus into two 
groups ; the Monticolae with leafy stems and membranous 
leaves, and the Deserticolae, with stems leafless, or nearly so, 
and firm leaves. 
It is to the latter group that the species here figured 
belongs. In habit and general facies it much resembles 
another species of the same group, R. racemiferum, Maxim., 
from Southern Mongolia, but differs in its smaller size and 
in the other particulars already noted. Another species, 
ApriL, 1908. 
