LIT. 



RUTA GRAVEOLENS. 



Common Hue. 



OXTMS 



Ruta hortensis et montana, Ger. Urn., 1255. Euta hortensis 

 major, Park. Theat., p. 132. Euta hortensis latifolia, Bauh. Hcr« t p. 336. Euta, 

 Math. Vulg., vol. ii. p. 95. Euta foliis duplicates piimatis lobulis ovatis, n. 1003 ; 

 Ball. Hist., vol. ii. Euta gravcolens, Linn., Spec. Plant ; Willd., vol. ii. p. 542 ; 

 Ball Herb., t. 85 ; Woodv., vol. ii. p. 483. 



Foreign Names.— Fr.: Rue des Jardins. Ital.: Ruta. Span. : Ruda. Port 

 Arruda. Germ. : Raute, Gartenraute. But. : Ruite, Wijnruit. Sired. : Winruta 

 Dan.: Rude. Buss.: Ruta. Arab.: Arooda. Bind.: Saturee. 



Nat Order, Multisiliqu^:, Linn. ; Rutace^e, Juss., Be Cand. 



Decandria, Moxogynia. 



Gen. Char.— Calyx persistent, four, rarely three or five-partite. Petal- 

 as many as the segments of the calyx, unguicolate, somewhat cochleate. 

 Stamens twice as many as the petals. 



Nectariferous pores, at the base 

 of the ovary, as many as the stamina. Ovary on a short, thick stalk. 

 Style one. Capsule somewhat globose, divided into as many cells as 

 there are petals. Seeds affixed by the internal angle. Albumen fleshy. 

 Embryo curved. Radicle long. Cotyledons linear. Perennial or suf- 

 fruticose fetid herbs, of a sea-green colour. Leaves alternate. Flowers 

 corymbose, yellow, central, often five-cleft {Be Cand.) 

 Spec. Char.— Leaves supra-decompound ; lobes oblong, the terminal one 

 obovate. Petals entire, or somewhat toothed {Be Cand.) 



History.— Rue is the Uvyavov of Hippocrates. Two varieties 

 are mentioned, II. aygiov and EL opivov. It was highly esteemed 

 by the ancients as a remedy for resisting contagions and 

 poisons. Pythagoras considered Rue hurtful to the eyes. 

 Pliny says that he was in error, because engravers and painters 

 eat Rue with bread or cresses, to benefit the eyes when they 

 are weak. 



