L. 



RHEUM PALMATUM. 



P ahnated Rhubarb. 



Synonyms.— Rheum palmatum, Linn., Spec. Plant., p. 531 5 Willd., p. 488. 

 Rhabarbarum, Bauh. Hist, vol. ii. p. 989 ; Lob. Jc, vol. i. p. 289. Rhabarbarum 

 et ponticum genuina officinarum. Park, Theat., p. 156, 



Eoeeign Names.— Fr.: Rhubarbe. Ital.i Rabarbaro, Reobarbaro. Span, : 

 Ruibarbo. Germ. : Rhabarber, Aechte Rhabarber. Chin : Tu Hioang. Suss. : 

 Rhewen. Arab. : Rawend. 



Nat 



Enneandria, Trigynia. 



Gen. Char.— Calyx 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). 



Spec. Char.— Leaves palmate, pointed, roughish, the sinus dilated at the 

 base. Stalks obsoletely furrowed above, rounded at the edn-p. 



History.— Under the name of P*, Dioscorides described what 

 was formerly supposed to be the officinal Ehubarb ; it is now, 

 however, generally understood that the plant described by the 

 ancient physicians is the Rheum Rhaponticum, the common 

 Rhubarb of the gardens. Paulus M 

 Pwv, describes the same species, but which Matthiolus and 

 Dodoneeus considered was the purgative Rhubarb. Sprengel 

 states that Isodorus is the first author who applied the name 

 Rheum barbarum to the True Rhubarb. It seems that the 

 Arabian physicians were the first that worp j.nnn.mU w :«.u *i^ 



Fifj. 1. A flower, somewhat magnified. 2. The fruit. 



