3P4* v Of the Hiftorie of Plants* Lib. 2. 



plant hath many large roots diucrfly fpreading in the ground^of a yellow colour/rom which grct 

 vp many very great leaues like thofe of the Butter-burrc,but of a frefh green colour.vvith great arid 

 manifeft red veins difperfed ouer them. The ftalkealfois large and crefted,fending forth fund 



branches bearing fmal vv 



nc 



as thofe of other Docks 



rhitc floures^which are fuccceded by feeds three fquare and brovvniih lit 

 . T) T Lifter one of his Majefties Phyfitions, was the firft that enriched' tl/ 

 kingdome with this elegant and vfefull plant,by fending the feeds thereof to M l Parkmfon. p ro /i er 

 K^ilfinm prouesthis to be the true 7?/^ of the Antients,defcribed by Diofcor ides, lib. ^.ca.i. y e t n c ; 

 ther he nor any other(that I know of) haueobferued a faulty which I more than probably fufp C A 

 to be in the text of Diofcorides in that place , namely in the word^w^vvhich I iudge fhould bee 

 ^f-, that is, yellow, and not blacke, as KncUim and others haue tranflated it: now/*Wis a word 

 often vfed by Diofcorides^ as may appeare by the chapters ofHieracium magnum & parvus, Comzi 

 pcuccdmum, Ranunculus &n& ditiers others, and I fufpeft the like fault may be fpund in fome other 

 places of the fame Author. But I will no further infift vpon this , feeing the thing it felfcin all 

 other refpe£b,as alfo in yellownefle,(hews it felfe to be that defcribed by D is fcor ides^ and that my 

 conjefluremuft therefore be true. Befides,the root whereto he compares it is yfyvt&c, thatis rI 

 befcens&x rather exflavo rubefcens, as any verfed in reading Diojcorides may eafily gather by diucrs 

 places in him. Now I here omit his words, becaufe they are in the next defcriptionalledgcd by 

 our Author, as alfo the defcriptionof our ordinarily vfed Rubarb, for that it is fufficiently descri- 

 bed vnder the following title of the choice thereof. M r Parkinson is of opinion, that this is the true 

 Rubsrb vfed in fhops,only leflehcauy,bitter,and ftrong in working, by reafon of the diuerfitic of 

 our Clymatfrom that whereas thedricd Rubarb brought vs vfually growes. This his opinion is 

 very probable,and if you compare the roots together you may eafily be enduced to be of the fame 

 beleefe. $ 



t 4 The Pontick Rubarb is IeflTe and flenderer than that of Barbary. Touching Pontick Ru- 

 barb Diofcor/des writeth thus : tf^that diuers call Rheo^which growes in thofe places thatarebc- 

 yond Bofphorus,from whence it is brought,hath yellow roots like to the great Centorie,buc leflc 

 and redder, **n* 3 that is to fay , without fmel] {Dodon&us thinks it fhould be a**wr, that is 5 tvell fracl- 

 ling) fpongie,and fomething light. That is the beft which is not worm-eaten, and tafted is fome- 

 what vifcide with a light aftri&ion,and fhewed becomes of a yellow or SaiFron colour. 



^J The Place. 



* \ T4* 



It is brought out of the country of Sina (commonly called China) which it toward theEaftin 

 the vpper part of India,and that India which is without the riucr Ganges,and not at all exSuniti> 

 rumprouincidyZs many dovnaduifedly think,which is in Arabia Falix^Sc far from China:it growes 

 on the fides ofrheriuerRha, now called Volga, as Ammiantu Marcellm fai th, which riucr fprinp 

 out of the Hyperborean mountains,and running through Mufcouia, falls into the Cafpian orHir- 

 cau fea. 



% The Rha of the Antients growes naturally,as Alpntu faitb^vpon the hil Rhodope in Thrace; 

 now called Romania. It growes alfo,as I haue bin informed,vpon fome mountains in Hurtgary." 

 is Iikewifc to be found growing in fome of our choice gardens. 4: 





«J[ The choice of Rubarb. 



The beft Rubarb is that which is brought from China frefh & new,ofa light purplifh rwf#J 

 certain veins and branches of an vncertain varietie of colour, commonly whitifh 5 but when in $ 

 old the colour becomes ilfauorcd by turning yellowifh or pale,but more if it be w,orme-eaten j w 



ing chewed in the mouth it 

 bed vpon 



ther hard 

 hard and 



it is fom thing gluie or clammy,and of a Saffron coIour,which being 111 .' 

 bite thins flheweth the colour more plainly : the fiibftance thereof tw 1 ' 



_ iddle betw 

 goodn 



j - O i o — — — * ^ 



which comes from Barbary . The laft and worft from Bofphorus and Pontus, 



^ The Names. ^ 



r f I* 



Itis commonly called in Latine Rha BarharttmfxRbaBarUricum : of diuers^fo* B0*" " f \ t 

 Moors and Arabians do more truly name it RauedSeni^ Sene»fiprouwcia,{rom whence it « & ^ 

 intoPcrfiaand Arab ia,and afterward into Europe : and likewifefromTanguth through tnc^ ^ 

 of Cataia into the Sophy of Perfia his country , and from thence into Egypt,and Co into bur j- ^ 

 is called of the Arabians and the people of China & the parts adiacent,ff4*w</C/»>** l ** i " i ' 

 Raued Scent : in (ho^Rhahrhrum .• in Englifli ,Rubarb,and Rewbarb. 



/ 



