Rosert Buenxworrnu, the present plant was discovered, 
and seeds of it sent by the former, in 1828, as the true 
officinal Rhubarb of commerce, to Mr. Lampert, in 
whose garden at Boyton House, Wiltshire, plants were 
soon raised and distributed. For it proves perfectly 
hardy, even in Scotland, where in comimon soil, it attains 
a height of seven and eight feet and recommends itself, 
independently of its commercial interest, by the large hand- 
some foliage and deep blood-coloured flowers, which are 
succeeded by conspicuous pendent seed-vessels of the 
same colour as the blossoms. The root used to be sent 
from China to Ormuz and Aleppo, thence by Alexandria 
to Vienna, and hence it obtained the name of Turkey, or 
Levant Rhubarb; now our vessels obtain it dried from 
- Canton and Ormuz (in the Persian Gulf). But the best, 
Mr. Don assures us, “ is what comes by way of Russia, as 
reater care is taken in the selection ; and on its arrival at 
Kiachta, within the Russian frontiers, the roots are all care- 
fully examined and the damaged pieces destroyed. This 
_ Asthefine rhubarb of the shops.” It is much to be regretted 
however, that we have as yet no authentic particulars re- 
+ ting the mode of collecting and preparing the roots by 
natives. 
Descr, Stems six to ten feet high, much branched and 
‘Sulcated, very thick below, gradually attenuated upwards 
into the large panicles, and there rough with minute warts 
or excrescences: the colour is yellow-ereen, streaked with 
red-brown, Leaves very large, but gradually smaller up- 
wards, roundish-cordate, entire, somewhat wavy, slightly 
rough upon the surface, and at the margin. Petioles thick, 
angled and furrowed, rough, embracing the stem by 
means of the large, bifid, sheathing membranous stipules. 
P anicles, or rather compound racemes, terminal, very long, 
_ the branches erect, virgate, rough. Pedicels solitary or clus- 
tered, somewhat verticillate, short, spreading, in fruit, de- 
flexed. Flowers very small, of a deep blood-red colour. 
Pi ervanth of six spreading, ovate, deep segments, three alter- 
_ hate ones smaller. Stamens nine, shorter than the perianth. 
Filaments subulate, monadelphous at the base. Germen 
ert triquetrous, often abortive. Styles three, spreading. 
ugmas large, warty. Fruit pendent, dark blood-coloured, 
shining, an achenium which is cordate, triangular, the angles 
sharply winged, covered at the base with the persistent pe- 
Tianth, of which the three smaller segments are iiphied to 
—— winged angles. Seed ovato-triquetrous. > 
Fig. i. Flower. 2. Fruit : me + ified, = : = 
