22 MEDICAL BOTANY. 
which is jointed upon the pedicel. Stamens five, combined at the base into an annulus which surrounds the germen’ 
Ovary superior ovate. Styles three. Stigmasobtuse. As the first advances to maturity, it becomes enveloped by the 
enlarged and fleshy perianth, which thus forms an obovate, reddish purple berry, resembling a small pear, with a scar 
at the top where the segments of the perianth had been attached; within is one cell, divided at the base into three 
imperfect cells, whose dissepiments enter into the base of the nut. Nwé roundish, very acute, longitudinally wrinkled, 
three-lobed at the base below, and attached by the centre. Albumen copious, marked with numerous clefts, and fis- 
sures at the margin. In the middle of this, or nearly so, is the foliaceous embryo, with its radicle pointing upwards, 
(Hooker in Bot. Mag. Lindley.) . 
This plant is a native of Jamaica and other West India islands. It is also found on the coast of S. America. It 
affords the article called Jamaica kino. The fruit is edible, but not particularly pleasant. From its clustered mode 
of production, and berry-like form, the name Sea side Grape originated. 
The article called Jamaica kino is produced by boiling the chips or shavings of the wood in water, and evapo- 
rating. Itis brought at times in quantities into the market, sometimes in casks in the semifluid state. The most per- 
fect specimens I have seen were imported in gourds. It is broken into angular masses, beautifully shining, of a clear 
claret colour, transparent at the edges, readily reducible to powder, the colour of which is reddish brown, possessing 
slight odour and a decided astringent slightly sweetish taste. It is soluble in water and alcohol, and forms greenish 
black precipitates, with the salts of iron. It has not been examined, but probably in addition to tannic acid, contains 
some catechuine. 
This article is highly efficacious as an astringent, and may be used in the cases to which the several varieties of 
kino are applicable. The forms of administration are powder, infusion, or tincture. 
An article known as Caraccas kino, which closely resembles the kind under consideration, except that it is rougher, 
is either the product of this, or closely resembling species. 
Prate LXVIII.—Represents the plant in flower, the fruit, and sections of the reproductive organs. 
RHEUM PALMATUM. 
PALMATED RHUBARB. 
LINNAUS. 
Sex. Syst.—Enneandria, Monogynia. 
Gen. Cuar.—Calyz petaloid, six-parted, withering. Stamens about nine, inserted into the base of the calyx. 
Styles three-reflexed. Stigmas peltate, entire. Achenium three-cornered, winged, with the withered calyx at the 
base. Embryo in the centre of the albumen. ( Lindley.) | 
Srecir. Cuar.—The root is large, thick, and divided into fasciculi. It is brown externally, and covered with a 
thick cortical substance; internally, it is yellow. The stem is erect, round, hollow, jointed, sheathed and scored, and 
branched ; it attains the height of six feet. The leaves are green, with reddish veins, roundish cordate, half palmate, 
with five or seven deeply sinuate pointed segments ; not wavy, but uneven and very much wrinkled on the upper 
side, hardly scabrous at the edge, minutely downy on the under side, sinus completely closed; the lobes of the leat 
standing forwards beyond it. The petiole is long, channelled, green, with purple ribs. The flowers are reddish green. 
The seeds triangular, alated, greenish at first, then brown. The radical leaves are a foot and a half in length, and a 
foot in breadth ; the cauline ones small. : ; 
The habitation of this plant is Central Asia, in the country about the great wall of China, “a long chain of 
mountains, partly naked of forests, which, skirting Chinese Tartary on the West, commence to the North, not far from 
the town of Selia, and extend to the South as far as Lake Kohonor near Thibet.” (Murray. Lindley.) ae 
In the present state of information, it is impossible to determine the species which afford the several varieties of 
rhubarb of commerce. The present species is supposed to afford a part of the officinal article, especially the Russian. 
It is said to have been made known in 1750, by Kaw Boerhaave, the physician to the Emperor of Russia ; he pro- 
cured the seeds from Tartary. It was cultivated by Linneus, in Sweden, in 1762, and has since constituted - of 
the species from which in Europe what is there called Indigenous Rhubarb, is derived. Guibourt and Pereira inform 
