CLASS VI. ORDER IH.] RUMEX. 521 



uetted Willi veins, entire, or obscurely toothed at the margin, without 

 tubercles ; leaves broadly, heart-shaped, or roundish, obtuse, or shortly 

 acuminate ; footstalks channeled ; whorls crowded, mostly leafless ; 

 flowers monoecious. 



Hooker in English Botany, Suppl. t. 2694, and British Flora, vol. i. 

 p. 172. — Lindley, Synopsis, Suppl. p. 328. — R. cordifolius, Hornem. 



Root large, stout, fleshy, with long ihickish branches. Stem erect, 

 from two to three feet high, somewhat angled and furrowed, smooth 

 green, or purplish, leafy, simple or branched. Leaves alternate, with 

 thin pale brown membranous mostly torn stipules, footstalks long, 

 channeled above, downy, as well as the prominent branched and 

 netted veins on the under side of the leaf, the lower leaves broadly 

 heart-shaped, from four to six inches wide, or roundish, obtuse, or with 

 a shortly acuminated point, the middle ones oblong, and the upper 

 narrow, lanceolate, frequently unequal at the base. Injiorescence a 

 terminal, simple, or more frequently alternately branched panicle. 

 Flowers numerous, in crowded whorls, sometimes two or three of the 

 lower ones are distant, and with an accompanying leaf, drooping on a 

 slender peduncle, thickened upwards, and jointed near the base. 

 Perianth of six pieces, the two outer ones short, thick, obtuse, concave, 

 the two inner becoming much enlarged, and of an ovate heart-shape, 

 of a thin membranous texture, with a mid- rib, slightly swollen at the 

 base, sometimes one of them forming a tubercle, branched into a 

 beautiful reticulated appearance, becoming of a purplish colour, the 

 margin entire or crenated, or obscurely toothed. Stamens and pistils 

 in separate flowers. Nuts ovate, acute at each end, pointed at the apex 

 by the base of the styles, three angled, the angles sharp, pale brown, 

 shining. 



Habitat. — Roadsides, Gare Loch, Hooker; and Glen Luss, Rev. 

 M. J. Berkeley, Highlands of Scotland, and near Dollar, Mr, 

 Trevelyan. 



Perennial ; flowering in July. 



The roots of this species have somewhat the appearance of the true 

 Rhubarb (Rheum palmatum), and possess similar properties, but in a 

 much less degree, requiring a larger dose to act upon the bowels. It 

 is commonly known by the name of " Monk's Rhubarb." It is not 

 unfrequent in the alpine districts of the Continent, and is known in 

 Italy by the name of Rabarbaro bastardo, or R. selvaiico ; but it does 

 not now appear to be applied to any particular use, except by the 

 country people ; and it is not unlikely that from the Monks in general 

 being the only physicians that the poor in the mountainous districts 

 have, and this being one of their medicines, it has obtained the 

 name of Monk's Rhubarb. 



5. R. sanffuVneus, Linn. (Fig. 596.) Blood-veined Dock. Enlarged 

 pieces of the perianth oblong, acute, or obtuse, entire, one generally 



