S29 



RADISH. 



RAIID^E. 



630 



well as at the extremities of the branches. The flowers are small 

 and white; the capsules light brown, and slightly depressed; the 

 sepals deeply and acutely 3-cleft, connected below into a tube. 



(Babiugton, Manual of British Botany.) 



RADISH. [RAPHANUS.] 



RADIUS. [SKELETON.] 



RAFFLE'SIA is the name of a plant found in the hot damp 

 jungle of Sumatra, growing parasitically on a kind of vine, and dis- 

 covered by the late Sir T. S. Raffles, whose name it bears. It consists 

 of a number of scales investing a fleshy calyx measuring a yard in 

 diameter, and containing the organs of fructification within or beneath 

 the rim of a huge fleshy central column. [RAFFLESIACE.S.] 



RAFFLESIACE^E, Patma- Worts, a natural order of stemless 

 leafless Parasitical Plants, consisting of flowers growing immediately 

 from the surface of branches, and immersed among scales. The 

 perianth is superior, with a 5-parted limb, thickened processes or calli 

 either distinct or united into a ring being attached to the throat of 

 the tube. The essential organs are combined in a column which 

 adheres to the tube of the perianth. Anthers 2-celled, either distinct 

 and opening by vertical apertures, or combined together so as to 

 become a multicellular mass opening by a common pore. Ovary 

 1-celled ; plaoentas parietal. Fruit indehiscent. The species are East 

 Indian and South American plants, parasitic on the species of Cissus 

 and on some Legwminoice. There are 16 species. Some of them are 

 said to be styptic. Their perianth has a fungoid appearance. 



Raflleria Arnoldi, a Sumatra parasite, is capable of containing 

 12 pints of fluid in its cup. The flower is said sometimes to have a 

 weight of 14 Ibs. 



R. Patma is employed as an astringent and styptic in Java. R. 

 Honjieldi, R. Cumingi, and R. Rocluuunii have similar properties. 



The genera are Rafflexia, Sapria, Srugmansia, Apodanthet, and 

 Piloityles. 



(Balfour, Clatsbook of Botany; Lindley, Vegetable Kingdom.) 



RAGGED ROBIN. [LYCHNIS.] 



RAGWORT. [SENECIO.] 



RAIANIA, a genus of Plants so-called in honour of the great 

 naturalist John Ray, is known by the staminiferous flowers having a 

 bell-shaped perianth in six deep oblong pointed segments, most spread- 

 ing in their upper part. Corolla none ; stamens with six filaments, 

 bristle-shaped, shorter than the calyx ; anthers simple. Pistilliferous 

 flowers, the perianth superior, of one leaf, bell-shaped, in six deep 

 segments, permanent, withering ; corolla none ; pistil with the germeu 

 inferior, compressed, with a prominent border at one side, 3-celled ; 

 styles 3, the length of the calyx ; stigmas obtuse ; capsule mem- 

 branous, of three cells without valves, crowned by the calyx ; two of 

 the cells barren, almost obliterated, without wings ; the third fertile, 

 compressed, extended into a very large half-ovate membranous wing; 

 seed solitary, nearly elliptical, compressed. 



R. hattata, Halberd- Leaved Raiania, is found in the island of 

 St. Domingo. The root is perennial, sometimes large and ovate, some- 

 times 4 or 5 inches long and 2 inches thick, round at each end. Its 

 substance resembles that of a radish without any internal fibres ; the 

 back thin, ash-coloured, a little rugged and warty, the flesh very 

 white, tasting like a bean. The flowers small, whitish, in simple 

 axillary drooping clusters. 



R. cordata, Heart-Leaved Raiania, has ovate leaves somewhat heart- 

 shaped at the base, "-ribbed. It is a native of the West Indies, from 

 whence it was sent to Kew Gardens in 1786, by Mr. Alexander Ander- 

 son. Plumier represents the habit of the root, stem, &c., much like 

 the foregoing ; but the leaves are regularly ovate, pointed, more or 

 less heart-shaped at their base, and furnished with seven ribs con- 

 tinued from that part to the point. These ribs are connected by 

 numerous transverse veins. 



R. ovata, Ovate-Leaved Raiania, has ovate-pointed 3-ribbed leaves. 

 It is a native of the hills of St. Domingo, and has a shrubby stem, 

 turning thread shaped, sub-divided with slender smooth leafy branches. 

 The leaves rather distant, stalked, smooth on both side?, pointed, 

 entire, 3-ribbed, being ovate at the base. The flowers dioecious, the 

 males in compound clusters, females in simple ones; all stalked and 

 turned toward one side. Corolla very minute, yellowish-green in the 

 male, reddish in the female blossoms. 



R. anyutlifolia, Narrow-Leaved Raiania, is a native of the west 

 part of St. Domingo, where it climbs upon high trees, flowering in May. 



R. quinata, Five-Leaved Umbellate Kahuna, has five leaves on a 

 common stalk. It was observed by Thunberg about Nagasaki, and in 

 Japan, flowering in April and May. The stem is twining, round, 

 smooth, ash-coloured, and branched. Leaves several together, axillary, 

 stalked, smooth. Flowers in umbels from the same buds as the 

 leaves, on slender stalks, as long as the footstalks. 



1C. hexaphylla, Six-Leaved Clustered Raiania. Leaves six, on a 

 common stalk, oblong-acute. Flowers racemose. It is a native of 

 the country of Fakonia, in Japan, among bushes, flowering in April. 

 The gtem is round, striated, smooth, climbing. The flowers in 

 axillary racemes, clusters snow-white. It differs from R. qwinata in j 

 having mostly six leaflets on a stalk, which are acute, reticulated, 

 with veins at the back, and larger than in that species. The flowers 

 moreover grow in clusters, not in umbels. 



RAIIDvE, or RAIIN/E, a sub-order, or family of Plagioatomous 



BAT. niST. DIV. VOL. IV. 



Cartilaginous Fishes, of which the Common Ray is the type. The 

 body of these fishes is horizontally flattened, and more or less discous ; 

 the dorsal fins are mostly placed on the tail ; a peculiar cartilage, 

 called naso-pectoral, arises from the nasal part of the skull, and extends 

 towards or meets the anterior part of the crest or pectoral fin ; the 

 branchial openings are inferior. 



This sub-order is divided into the following families or tribes : 



1. Cephalopteridte, Horned Rays. They have a muzzle distinguished 

 by two horn-like processes ; the mouth before or beneath very broad ; 

 teeth very small, in some wanting in upper jaw; tail as long or 

 longer than body, with a back-fin and spine. The genus Cephaloptera 

 has large lateral eyes and a transverse mouth, with small teeth like a 

 file. 



0. Giorna is the only species known in the European seas. A speci- 

 men of this fish was once taken on the southern coast of Ireland. It 

 has been described by M. Risso as frequent on the coast of Nice. It 

 approaches the shore, and is most frequently taken in the month of 

 July. In Italy the small ones are called Vachetta, and the larger ones 

 Vacha. It dies immediately on being taken out of the water. It ia 

 eaten by the poorer classes at Nice, but is not tender. They grow to 

 a prodigious size. Risso records a male weighing 800 Ibs. and a 

 female weighing 1200 Ibs. 



2. Myliobatida;, Eagle Rays. The head is partially disengaged 

 from pectorals; mouth transverse; teeth large, mosaic-like; eyelids 

 wanting; tail long, with a back-fin on root and a serrated sting 

 behind. The genus Afyliobatis has flat teeth ; the central plates much 

 longer than those which are lateral ; pectoral fins wing-like ; the tail 

 armed with one fin upon the root, behind that a serrated spine. 



M. aguila, the Whip Ray, the Eagle Ray, and the Mullen. This 

 fish, though rare, has been found on the British coasts. Dr. Johnston 

 has described a specimen found at Berwick-upon-Tweed. It inhabits 

 the Mediterranean, and has been taken as far south as the Cape. 



3. Trygonidce, the Sting Rays. The head is laterally inclosed by 

 the pectorals ; the teeth transversely elliptical ; the tail without any 

 fin, or merely a low vertical cuticular hair, and with one or more 

 sharp serrated spines. 



The genus Trygon has the characters of the family. 



T. pattinaca, the Common Trygon, the Sting-Ray, the Fire Flaire, 

 La Pastinaque of the French, is an example of this family. It was 

 well-known to the ancients, who entertained many fictions with regard 

 to the venom of the spines of these fish. It is not unfrequent on 

 the British coasts. The powerful serrated spine on its tail is used as 

 an organ of defence. 



4. Anacanthidw, Stingless Rays. 



5. Raiidfe, the Skates. The body is rhomboidal; tail depressed, 

 slender, generally with a low terminal fin, and frequently with rows 

 of small spines ; skin smooth or with small curved prickles ; teeth 

 flat, pavement-like, and pointed in males in spawning time. The 

 genus Raia has two small fins near the end of the tail ; the eyes and 

 temporal orifices are on the upper surface of the head ; the nostrils, 

 mouth, and branchial apertures beneath. 



The Skates are very numerous on the British coasts, and some of 

 the species are used as food. The young are deposited in a similar 

 manner to the sharks, in their horny cases of a square form, with four 

 projecting horns, giving them the form of a butcher's tray. These 

 cases are very frequently picked up on the sea-shore, and are some- 

 times called sea-purses. In Cumberland they arc called Skato-Barrovs, 

 on account of their form. As the young fish increases in size it at 

 last separates the edges of the horny layers in which it is inclosed, 

 and escapes into the ocean. The following aro the British species of 

 this genus : 



R. mucronata, the Long-Nosed Skate, remarkable for its long pointed 

 nose. 



R. oryrhynchus, the Sharp-Nosed Ray, the White Skate, the Burton 

 Skate. 



R. intermedia, the Flapper-Skate. This species was first taken in 

 the Frith of Forth by Dr. Parnell, and first described by him. 



R. batit, the Skate, the Blue Skate, the Gray Skate, the Tinker, La 

 Raie Ccndrda of the French. This is one of the commonest species on 

 our coast. The preceding species as well as this, the Thoruback, and the 

 Homelyn, are all commonly called Skate. 



R. marginata, the Bordered Ray. It has been only occasionally taken 

 in Great Britain. 



R. microcelluta, the Small-Eyed, or Painted Ray, This is a rare 

 species. 



R. miraletus, the Homelyn, the Home, the Sand Ray, and Spotted 

 Ray. It is one of the commonest species along the line of our southern 

 coast. With the Thornback it is the most common species found in 

 the London market. 



R. spinosa, the Sandy Ray, Raie Rape of the French. It has been 

 only occasionally taken in the British Islands. 



R. futlonica, the Shagreen Ray. This species is known by its rough 

 back. It is only occasionally taken in the British Islands. 



R. clavata, the Thornback, the Rough Ray. This Ray is easily 

 distinguished by the spiny plates with which it is covered. Its flesh 

 is regarded as the finest of all the Rays. It is in tlie best condition 

 for the table about November. 



R. radiata, Starry Ray. A rare species. 



2 M 



