308 
THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 
Ricinus—continued. 
Young’ plants must be kept growing on under glass 
until early in June, when they may be hardened and 
put into their permanent positions outside. Varieties 
of Ricinus are most useful subjects for sub - tropical 
gardening, on account of their handsome foliage. 
Fig. 381. RICINUS COMMUNIS. 
R. communis (common).* Castor-oil Plant; 
ji. green, apetalous, rather large, disposed in sub-paniculate 
racemes at the apices of the branches; upper flowers male, 
clustered ;_ lower ones female, shortly pedicellate. July. Jr., 
capsule smooth or prickly. l. alternate, ample, peltate, palmately 
seven or many-lobed; lobes serrated. A. 3ft. to 5ft. Probably of 
tropical African origin, but broadly dispersed, and naturalised 
throughout tropical regions, 1548. See Fig. 381. (B. M. 2209; 
S. F. G. 952; A. B. R. 420, under name of R. armatus.) There 
are several varieties of this species; the one grown under the 
name of R. Gibsonit having bronzy-purplish leaves. 
RICOTIA (probably named after M. Ricot, an obscure 
botanist). ORD. Crucifere. A small genus (four species) 
of closely-allied, hardy, glabrous, branched herbs, natives 
of North Africa, Syria, and Asia Minor. Flowers pale 
lilac, in elongated, ebracteate racemes; sepals valvate, 
the lateral ones saccate at base; petals obcordate, un- 
guiculate. Pods sessile, oblong, much compressed. Leaves 
almost bipinnatisect. R. Lunaria, the only species known 
in gardens, is a pretty annual, well adapted for orna- 
menting rockwork. A light, sandy soil suits it best. 
Seeds should be sown either on the rockwork or in the 
open border. 
R. Lunaria (moon-podded). A., petals lilac, with white claws ; 
— —— rnc = pe. ee l. with 
> uated, 1. obes. yria, k 
(B. R. 49, under name of R. —— ee 
RICTUS. The mouth or gorge of a bilabiate corolla. 
Palma-Christi. 
| 
RIDERS. A name given to tall-stemmed fruit-trees 
that are used for covering the upper surface of high 
walls, either temporarily or permanently, while the lower 
part is furnished with dwarf trees. 
RIDGES. In gardens, this term denotes the shape 
in which it is often desirable to arrange heaps of soil, 
manure, &c., for various cultural purposes. _ 
Ridge Cucumbers, for instance, are so de- 
signated because they succeed better on a 
heap of manure and soil formed in the shape 
which the name indicates, than on the level 
ground. Land dug or trenched in autumn 
is usually thrown unevenly into Ridges, to 
expose more of the surface to the action of 
frost than would be possible if it were 
made level. Soil, after being thus exposed 
all winter, may readily be broken and levelled 
down in spring, and, in this way, heavy land 
especially may be greatly improved, even in 
one season. Many other familiar instances 
might be cited, were it necessary, in favour 
of forming a Ridge in preference to another 
shape. 
RIGIDELLA (a diminutive of rigidus, 
rigid; in allusion to the erect seed-bearing 
stalks). Stiff Stalk. Orn. Iridew. Of this 
genus three species have been described ; 
they are very ornamental, greenhouse plants, 
with truncated bulbs, natives of Mexico and 
Central America. Flowers several in a 
spathe, sometimes numerous, long-pedicellate ; 
perianth cup-shaped at base, three-parted, 
spreading or reflexed, having no tube; sta- 
mens three ; filaments connate into a cylin- 
drical tube; spathes long, membranous, ter- 
minating the two or three long peduncles in 
the axils of the floral leaves. Capsule ex- 
serted. Radical leaves few, long, sometimes 
broad, plicate-veined, contracted into a long 
petiole ; floral ones long-acuminate. For cul- 
ture, see Tigridia. 
R. flammea (flame-coloured). fi. bright flame- 
Steet Eai drooping. Tk 
a dense umbel from whith a tenvilved ayant ; 
tube campanulate. May.. l broad, equitant, 
strongly plaited, dilated at the base, where they 
sheath the stem. h. 3ft. to 5ft. Mexico, 1839. 
(B. R. 1840, 16; P. M. B. vii. 247.) 
R. immaculata (unspotted). jl., sepals scarlet, acute, 1gin. long, 
with a paler claw; petals yellow, cordate, acuminate. June. 
h. 2ft. Guatemala, 1839. This differs from R. flammea mainly in 
-having smaller, unspotted flowers, and narrower leaves; the 
plant, also, is more slender. (B. R. 1841, 68; F. d. S. 502.) 
R. orthantha (upright-flowered), fl. terminal, fasciculate, 
nodding ; perianth deep vivid scarlet, with a triangular, black 
spot at the base of each segment, somewhat concave, divided 
at the base ; anthers dark brown; sti; 
; gmas deep pink. October. 
l. lanceolate, plaited, sheathing. A. lft. Mexico, 1846. 
(P. M. B. xiv. 121.) 
RIMA. A synonym of Artocarpus. 
RIMOSE. Marked on the surface with chinks or 
cracks, like those of old bark. 
RIND-GRAFTING. See Grafting. 
RING-BUDDING. See Budding. 
RINGED. Surrounded by elevated or depressed, 
circular bands or lines; e.g., the roots or stems of some 
plants, the cups of several species of Quercus, &¢. 
_RINGENT. Gaping; e.g., the mouth of an open 
bilabiate corolla. 
RINGING. A method of preparing layers for pro- 
pagation. See under Layering. 
RINGWORM ROOT. See Rhinacanthus com- 
munis. 
