STURTEVANT S NOTES ON EDIBLE PLANTS 491 



use as a culinary plant until about 1827. In 1829, a footstalk was noted as sixteen inches 

 long.' The Victoria rhubarb of our gardens is referred to this species. 



R. nobile Hook. f. & Thorns, sikkim rhubarb. 



Himalayas. This is a handsome ornamental plant. The stems, called chuka by 

 the people of Sikkim, are pleasantly acid and much eaten. 



R. palmatum Linn, pieplant, rhubarb. 



Mongolia. This plant first reached Europe in 1763 ' or 1758.' The footstalks are 

 much smaller than those of other kinds, hence it is not in general ctdtivation.* It is yet 

 rare in France, although this species is superior in quality, as it is quite tender.* 



R. rhaponticum Linn, pieplant, rhubarb. 



Southern Siberia and the region of the Volga. This species, the commonest of the 

 rhubarbs, was introduced into Europe about 1608. It was cultivated at Padua by Prosper 

 Alpinus, and seeds from this source were planted by Parkinson in England about 1640 

 or before.* There is no reference, however, to its use as a vegetable by Alpinus,' 1627, 

 nor by Ray,* 1686, although the latter refers to the acid stalks being more grateful than 

 that of garden sorrel. In 1778, however, Mawe,' says its yoimg stalks in spring, being 

 cut and peeled, are used for tarts. In 1806, McMahon,'" mentions rhubarb in American 

 gardens and says the footstalks are very frequently used and are much esteemed for tarts 

 and pies. In 1733, Bryant," describes the footstalks as two feet long and thicker than a 

 man's finger at the base. 



" Thirty years ago," says J. Lowell "in the Massachusetts Agricultural Repository, 1822, 

 " we were strangers to rhubarb, now in general use and constantly in our markets, and we 

 are indebted for its introduction to an amateur in the State of Maine." T. S. Gold '' of 

 Connecticut writes that his father purchased a small package of pieplant seeds in 1820 

 and raised the first plants then known in his vicinity. The seed was sold by Thorburn " 

 in 1828. The globular pouch of unopened flowers is said to form a dish of great delicacy. 

 Stalks weighing two pounds, eleven and one-half ovmces have been exhibited at the 

 Massachusetts Horticultural Society. 



R. ribes Linn, currant-fruited rhubarb. 



Sjrria, Persia and Afghanistan. This plant is considered to be the Ribes arabum of 



Rhind, W. Hist. Veg. King. 309. 1855. 



* Noisette Man. Jard. 297. 1826. 

 ' Veg. Subst. 205. 1840. 



* Ibid. 



Bon Jard. 706. 1882. 



Fluckiger and Hanbury Pharm. 500. 1879. 

 'Alpinus PI. Exot. 188. 1627. 



Ray Hist. Pt. 170. 1686. 



' Ma we and Abercrombie Univ. Card. Bot. 1778, 



" McMahon, B. Amer. Card. Cat. 205. 1806. 



" Bryant Ft. Diet. 67. 1783. 



"* Lowell, J. Mass. Agr. Reposit. 133. 1822. 



Gold, T. S. Letter to Dr. Sturtevant 4-29-1880. 



* Thorburn Co/. 1828. 



