799 



Polygonum vacci?iiifoliu7ti . (Polygonaceae . ) 39048. Seeds 

 from Darjeeling, India. "Apparently a common Himalayan 

 plant which has proved sufficiently hardy to bear the open 

 air of this climate (England). It is a low-growing neat 

 plant, and by its numerous slender stems trailing along 

 the ground and rooting at the joints it soon becomes a 

 spreading compact patch. The leaves are quite concealed 

 by the copious spikes of bright rose-colored flowers, 

 which continue blooming from August to November uninter- 

 ruptedly. It is well adapted for the front part of rock 

 work, in situations where it will not be subject to 

 drought in summer. This plant continues to become a great 

 favorite in our gardens as a bedding-out plant, especially 

 where autumn flowers are desired." (Curtis 's Botanical 

 Magazine, pi. 4622.) 



Rheum acuminatum. (Polygonaceae.) 39049. Seeds of 

 wild rhubarb from Darjeeling, India. "This is the common 

 rhubarb of the Slkkim Himalayas, and very closely resem- 

 bles in most respects the well-known Rheum emodi. It in- 

 habits rocky places, often amongst brushwood in the sub- 

 alpine regions of the Himalayas of Sikkim and East Nepal, 

 at elevations of 9000 to 13000 feet. The stems are pleas- 

 antly acid, and, though more dry and stringy than those of 

 R. emodi, may be used for tarts. The root is spongy, and 

 but slightly, if at all, medicinal." (Curtis 's Botanical 

 Magazine, pi. 4877.) 



Rheum nobile. (Polygonaceae.) 39050. Seeds of wild 

 rhubarb from Darjeeling, India. "A handsome herbaceous 

 plant, with a stem three to four feet high and as thick 

 as the wrist at the base. It is found in the inner ranges 

 of the Sikkim Himalaya at altitudes between 13000 and 

 15000 feet. The root resembles that of the medicinal rhu- 

 barb but is spongy and inert. The acid stems are eaten 

 raw and boiled and the dried leaves afford a substitute 

 for tobacco . " 



Rhododendron spp. (Ericaceae.) 39051-068. Seeds of 

 eighteen Himalayan rhododendrons from Darjeeling, India. 

 R. campylocarpum and R. dalhousiae, considered as among 

 the most beautiful and interesting of the Himalayan forms, 

 R. anthopogon and R. lepidotum, two species used in Indian 

 medicine, and the rare yellow-f lov/ered R. ivightii are among 

 the lot. 



Saxifraga purpurnscens . (Saxif ragaceae . ) S9074. Seeds 

 of a saxifrage from Darjeeling, India. "This beautiful 

 and hardy species comes from the temperate regions of the 

 Sikkim Himalaya, where it was discovered growing in wet 



