154 POLYGONACEJE. 



notices both the plant Ribas (Riw^s, Pers.) and the drug 

 Edwand (Rewand, Pers.)— the first an acid plant, and the second 

 eyidently Chinese rhubarb. Mesue, early in the 11th century, 

 distinguishes between Chinese and Khorasan rhubarb, and Haji 

 Zein- el-attar, writing in 1368, says: — '* I consider Re wand to be 



the same as Ribas. 



Mink 



kinds 



the latter is known as Rawand-el-dawabb, and is used in veteri- 

 nary practice, whilst the Chinese is reserved for human beings. 

 The latter is the best kind, and, when powdered, is of a saffron 

 colour ; the fractured surface has the grain of a cow's hump, and 

 is friable ; it is called Rewand-i-lahmi (meaty rhubarb), and 

 should be in large pieces like a horse's hoof, and not»worra-eateu. 

 In my experience there are three kinds of rhubarb— Chinese, 

 Khorasan, and Indian. Masih (Mesue) states that rhubarb is 



hot in the third degree and dry in the first." {IkhtiaraU 

 article Hdiranil.) 



The author of the Mal-Jizan-el-Adiciya, himself a native of 

 Khorasan, has the following account of Rib^s :— " It is called in 

 Persian Riwas, Riwaj and Chukri, and is an herbaceous plant a 

 cubit in height; from the centre spring one or two flattened stem 

 2 fingers by 1 finger in thickness, having a pubescent bark, the 

 lower portion of which is purplish and the upper green, like the 

 stem of a lettuce. Internally the stem is white, soft and juicy ; it 

 has a sour and somewhat astringent taste. The top of the stem is 

 branched, and between the branches are green rough bracts; the 

 flowers are red, and have a slightly acid and sweetish taste. The 

 pknt grows in the cold snowy mountains ; the best is the Persian, 

 white, delicate, succulent and subacid, with a stout tall stalk. 

 The root of this plant is rhubarb (R^wand), which has already 



been described, and it is called ^ Ribas-i-Mu^ammiri/ because 



aniimr of Nisbapur was the first to discoyer this." Fur 



Ph a i 'macographia. 



referred 



Hindu 



the modern Hindus have become acquainted with its propeW 

 through Mahon.etan and European physicians. 



