2950 



RHGEO 



RHUBARB 



T. spathacea, Swartz, and Ephemerum bicolor, Moench 

 B.M. 1192. G.W. 15, p. 230. From Tradescantia the 

 genus is distinguished by having 1 ovule (rather than 

 2) in each locule of the ovary. R. discolor is a short- 

 stemmed erect-growing long-lvd. plant, not unlike a 

 broad-lvd. small pandanus in habit. Fls. white, small, 

 and many in a boat-shaped spathe-like structure aris- 

 ing from the axil of the If. and which is sessile or nearly 

 so; sepals 3, free, more or less petal-like; petals 3, soon 

 withering; stamens 6. Var. vittata, Hook. (Trades- 

 cdntia discolor var. vittata, Miq. T. discolor var. varie- 

 gata, Hook. T. variegata, Hort.), is the common form 

 in cult. The Ivs. are 8^12 in. long, dark purple beneath 

 and longitudinally striped above with pale yellow. A 

 striking plant for the warmhouse, or for the open in the 

 S. B.M. 5079. F.S. 11:1169, 1170. Cult, as for warm- 

 house tradescantias. L. H. B. 



RHOPALA: Roupala. 



RHOPALOBLASTE (Greek, dub or pestk, and em- 

 bryo). Palmdceae, tribe Arecese. A small group of Old 

 World tropical palms of little horticultural significance : 

 sts. simple, unarmed, crowned at the top by a large 

 cluster of equally pinnatisect Ivs. : If .-segms. acuminate, 

 1-nerved: spadix appearing from among the Ivs., much 

 branched; stamens 6: fr. ellipsoid, red. Cult, as in 

 chrysalidocarpus. 



hexandra, Scheff. St. about 4 ft., crowned by numer- 

 ous Ivs. which are much divided into lanceolate Ifts.: 

 spadix about 1 }/?, ft. long, or in wild specimens longer, 

 crowded with very small fls. Molucca and neighboring 

 islands. A little-known palm offered in Eu. but 

 doubtfully cult, in Amer. outside of botanic gardens. 



N. TAYLOR. 



RHOPALOSTYLIS (name refers to the club-shaped 

 spadix). Palmaceae, tribe Arecese. Two species of pin- 

 nate palms, both of which are useful conservatory 

 plants and nearly always sold as species of Areca or 

 Kentia.- 



Spineless palms with medium ringed caudices: Ivs. 

 terminal, equally pinnatisect; segms. equidistant, 

 numerous, narrowly sword-shaped, acuminate, the mar- 

 gins not thickened, recurved at the base, the midveins 

 prominent, with 1-3-nerves on each side; rachis con- 

 cave above, scurfy; petiole very short; sheath elongated: 

 spadices short, spreading, with a very short thick 

 peduncle, and fringed, rather thick, densely-fld. 

 branches: spathes 2, symmetrical, oblong, flattened, 

 the lower 2-winged: bracts adnate to the flower-bearing 

 areas, subulate at the apex; bractlets scaly: fls. medium: 

 fr. small or medium, ellipsoidal, smooth. Rhopalostylis 

 belongs to the large group in which the ovule is borne 

 on the side and is more or less pendulous, while in Areca 

 and Kentia the ovule is at the base and erect. From 

 the 5 cult, genera listed under Hedyscepe (which see) 

 Rhopalostyhs differs as follows: sepals of staminate 

 fls. awl-shaped to lanceolate, not imbricated; stamens 

 6-12; pistillate fls. with short petals, valvate at the apex. 

 Cult, as in kentia. Prop, by imported seeds under glass, 

 over bottom heat. Hardy in S. Calif, if planted in 

 shaded positions. Shade is necessary for thrifty growth 

 as the fronds burn badly in the sun; and it will also 

 furnish sufficient protection from frost. 



sapida, H. Wendl. & Drude (Areca sdpida, Soland. 

 Kentia sdpida, Mast.). NIKAU PALM. St. 6-30 ft. high, 

 6-9 in. diam., cylindrical, green or often a pale glaucous 

 green: Ivs. 4r-6 ft. long, pinnate; segms. very narrow, 

 linear; margin replicate; nerves, midrib, and petiole 

 covered with minute scales: spadix 18-24 in. long, half 

 inclosed in the spathe, much branched; fls. pale pink- 

 ish: fr. an ovoid drupe, brown. New Zeal. B.M. 5139. 



Bafteri, H. Wendl. & Drude (Areca Baueri, Hook. 

 Kentia Baueri, Seem. Seafdrthia robusta, Hort.). 

 Stouter and taller than R. sapida: Ivs. larger and 



broader, rarely, if ever, glaucous; segms. linear- 

 lanceolate, acuminate; nerves, midrib, . and petiole 

 sparsely scaly: spadix 1-2 ft. long scarcely inclosed by 

 the spathe; fls. white: fr. more globose, scarlet. Nor- 

 folk Id. and Kermadecs. I.H. 15:575. B.M. 5735. 



JARED G. SMITH. 



N. TAYLOR.! 



RHUBARB. A garden vegetable, perennial, grown 

 for the thick acid leaf -stalks which are used in spring for 

 sauces and pies: Rheum Rhaponticum, which see, page 

 2927. 



Rhubarb, known also as pie-plant, is a hardy plant 

 and will withstand considerable neglect, yet, like most 

 cultivated vegetables, it responds readily to proper care 

 and good treatment. The large fleshy leaf -stems desired 

 in culinary use are produced in part by the great store of 

 plant-food held in reserve by the many big roots. Every- 

 thing should be done to increase this supply of reserve 

 food. Tillage and fertilizing, therefore, are fundamen- 

 tals. In the choosing of a site a southern exposure is 

 preferred, with sufficient slope to give good drainage. 

 Plow the ground 6 to 8 inches deep, draw furrows 5 feet 

 apart, set the plants 3 feet apart, with the buds 1 inch 

 below the level of the ground. In home grounds, spade 

 or trench the land deep, and set about 4 feet apart each 

 way; or if in only one row or line with plenty of room on 

 either side, the plants may go 3 feet or even as close as 

 2^2 feet if they are well manured and often renewed. If 

 the soil lacks in fertility, mix compost with the earth 

 that is placed about the roots; never put fresh manure 

 next to the roots. As soon after planting as possible, 

 start the cultivator, and give a thorough stirring at 

 intervals of six to eight days up to the middle or last 

 of August. After the ground is frozen, cover the rows 



3 to 4 inches deep with manure that is as free as possible 

 from weed and grass seed. As early in the spring as the 

 ground can be worked to advantage, start the cultiva- 

 tor and work the manure into the soil. Each alternate 

 season the surface of the soil should have a good dress- 

 ing of manure. For garden culture, a similar practice 

 should be undertaken with the hoe or other hand tools. 



In field culture, the third or fourth year after plant- 

 ing the hills should be divided. Remove the earth from 

 one side of the hill and with a sharp spade cut through 



the crown, leaving 

 three or four buds in 

 the hill undisturbed. 

 This work should be 

 done in the fall or early 

 in the spring. In gar- 

 den culture, the beds 

 should be similarly 

 renewed, at least as 

 often as every four or 

 five years, but more 

 pains may be taken 

 in dividing the plants. 

 The clumps of roots 

 grow so large, and have 

 so many eyes, that the 

 stalks soon become 

 more numerous than 

 desirable, and run 

 down in size. Take up 

 the entire roots and 

 cut them in pieces, leaving only one strong eye to the 

 piece, and plant the pieces in a newly prepared bed (or 

 even in the old one if properly enriched and prepared) 



4 feet apart each way as before. 



Seed-stems are produced freely the entire season. 

 These should be promptly pulled up, unless seed is 

 wanted. The growth of these stems and the production 

 of seed tend to lessen the vitality of the plant and to 

 reduce the yield. 



Propagation of rhubarb is commonly by division of 



3395. Stalks of forced rhubarb. The 

 leaf-blades do not develop. 



