THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Riciuus continued. 



Young plants must bo kept growing on under glass 

 until early in June, when they may be hardened and 

 put into their permanent positions outside. Variet 

 of Ricinus are most useful subjects for sub -tropical 

 gardening, on account of their handsome fohago. 



FIG. 381. RICINUS COMMUNIS. 



R. communis (common).* Castor-oil Plant; Palma-Christi. 

 ft. green, apetalous, rather large, disposed in sub-paniculate 

 racemes at the apices of the branches; upper flowers male, 

 clustered; lower ones female, shortly pedicellate. July, fr., 

 capsule smooth or prickly. I. alternate, ample, peltate, palmately 

 seven or many-lobed ; lobes serrated, h. 3ft. to 5ft. Probably of 

 tropical African origin, but broadly dispersed, and naturalised 

 throughout tropical regions, 1548. See Fig. 381. (B. M. 2209 ; 

 S. F. G. 952 ; A. B. R. 430, under name of R. armatut.) There 

 are several varieties of this species ; the one grown under the 

 name of R. Gtbsomi having bronzy-purplish leaves. 



B.ICOTIA (probably named after M. Eicot, an obscure 

 botanist). OED. Cruciferce. A small genus (four species) 

 of closely-allied, hardy, glabrous, branched herbs, natives 

 of North Africa, Syria, and Asia Minor. Flowers pale 

 lilac, in elongated, ebracteate racemes; sepals valvate 

 the lateral ones saccate at base; petals obcordate, un- 

 guicnlate. Pods sessile, oblong, much compressed Leaves 

 almost bipinnatisect. R. Lunaria, the only species known 

 in gardens, is a pretty annual, well adapted for orna- 

 menting rockwork. A light, sandy soil suits it best. 

 Seeds should be sown either on the rockwork or in the 

 open border. 



"V^& (moon-podded). fl., petals lilac, with white claws ; 

 SH^SH^n 11 ^ June and July. Pods ovate-lanceolate. I. with 



RICTUS. The mouth or gorge of a bilabiate corolla. 



A name given to tail-stemmed fruit-trees 

 that are used for covering the upper surface of high 

 walls, either temporarily or permanently, while the lower 

 part is furnished with dwarf trees. 



RIDGES. In gardens, this term denotes the shape 

 in which it is often desirable to arrange heaps of soil, 

 manure, &c., for various cultural purposes. 

 Eidge Cucumbers, for instance, are so de- 

 signated because they succeed better on a 

 heap of manure and soil formed in the shape 

 which the name indicates, than on the level 

 ground. Land dug or trenched in autumn 

 is usually thrown unevenly into Eidges, to 

 expose more of the surface to the action of 

 frost than would be possible if it wero 

 made level. Soil, after being thus exposed 

 all winter, may readily be broken and levelled 

 down in spring, and, in this way, heavy laud 

 especially may be greatly improved, even in 

 one season. Many other familiar instances 

 might be cited, were it necessary, in favour 

 of forming a Eidge in preference to another 

 shape. 



RIGIDELLA (a diminutive of rigidus, 

 rigid; in allusion to the erect seed-bearing 

 stalks). Stiff Stalk. OBD. Iridece. Of this 

 genus three species have been described ; 

 they are very ornamental, greenhouse plants, 

 with truncated bulbs, natives of Mexico and 

 Central America. Flowers several in a 

 spathe, sometimes numerous, long-pedicellate ; 

 perianth cup-shaped at base, , three-parted, 

 spreading or reflexed, having no tube ; sta- 

 mens three ; filaments connate into a cylin- 

 drical tube; spathes long, membranous, ter- 

 minating the two or three long peduncles in 

 the axils of the floral leaves. Capsule ex- 

 serted. Eadical leaves few, long, sometimes 

 broad, plicate-veined, contracted into a long 

 petiole ; floral ones long-acuminate. For cul- 

 ture, see Tigridia. 



R. flammea (flame-coloured). /. bright flame- 

 coloured, strongly marked at the base of the re- 

 flexed liinb with deep purple stripes, drooping, in 

 a dense umbel from within a two-valved spathe ; 

 tube campanulate. May. I. broad, equitant, 

 strongly plaited, dilated at the base, where they 

 sheath the stem. A. 3ft. to 5ft. Mexico, 1839. 

 (B. R. 1840, 16 ; P. M. B. vii. 247.) 

 R. immaculata (unspotted). /., sepals scarlet, acute, 1 . in. long, 

 with a paler claw ; petals yellow, cordate, acuminate. June. 

 h. 2ft. Guatemala, 1839. This differs from A', jiammca mainly in 

 having smaller, unspotted Mowers, and narrower leaves ; the 

 plant, also, is more slender. (B. R. 1841, 68 ; F. d. S. 5C2.) 



R. orthantha (upright-flowered), fl. terminal, fasciculate, 

 nodding ; perianth deep vivid scarlet, with a. triangular, black 

 spot at the base of each segment, somewhat concave, divided 

 at the base ; anthers dark brown ; stigmas deep pink. October. 

 I. lanceolate, plaited, sheathing, h. lift Mexico, 1846. 

 (P. M. B. xiv. 121.) 



RIMA. A synonym of Artocarpus. 

 RIMOSE. Marked on the surface with chinks or 

 cracks, like those of old bark. 



RIND-GRAFTING. See Grafting. 

 RING-BUDDING. See Budding. 



KINGED. Surrounded by elevated or depressed, 

 circular bands or lines ; e.g., the roots or stems of some 

 plants, the cups of several species of Quercus, &c. 



RINGENT. Gaping; e.g., the mouth of an open 

 bilabiate corolla. 



KINGING. A method of preparing layers for pro- 

 pagation. See under Layering. 



RINGWORM ROOT. 

 munis. 



See Rhiiiacantlius com- 



