492 STURTEVANT S NOTES ON EDIBLE PLANTS 



Rauwolf, who traveled in the Orient in 1573-5, and who found it in the region of the 

 Lebanon.' Its habitat is also given as eastern Persia. Decaisne and Naudin ' refer to 

 it as grown in gardens in France but not as esteemed as the R. hybridum, while the Bon 

 Jardinier, 1882, says it is reported the best as an esculent and is greatly praised. 



R. tatarictun Linn. f. Tartarian rhubarb. 



Tartary. The leaf-stalks and unexpanded flower-masses are edible.* 



R. undulatum Linn, bucharian rhubarb, pieplant. 



Asia. This species is said to have been introduced into Europe in 1734 from China. 

 It yields some of the forms of garden rhubarb, especially those with red leaf-etalks.'' In 

 18 10, a Mr. Myatts, Deptford, England, sent five bunches of garden rhubarb to the borough 

 market and could sell but three. In the United States in 1828, the seed of this variety 

 was sold by Thorbum.' Decaisne and Naudin ' say this rhubarb is grown in gardens 

 but is not as esteemed as is the Victoria rhubarb. 



Rhizophora mucronata Lam. Rhizophoreae. mangrove. 



Old World tropics. The fruit is said to be edible.' Masters * says the fermented juice 

 is made into a kind of light wine 



Rhododendron arboreum Sm. Ericaceae, tree rhododendron. 



East Indies, Himalayan region and Ceylon. In India, the flowers are made into 

 a pleasant, subacid jelly. They are at times intoxicating.'' Royle'" says the flowers 

 are eaten by the Hill People and are used for jelly by European visitors. 



R, lapponicum Wahlenb. lapland rose-bay. 



Northern and arctic regions. Richardson " sajrs an infusion of the leaves and flowering 

 tops was drunk by his party as a tea but it makes a less grateful beverage than Ledum 

 palustre. 



Rhodomyrtus tomentosa Wight. Myrtaceae. hill gooseberry, hill guave. 



Tropical eastern Asia and the Malayan Archipelago. In India, this species is found 

 amongst the jungles of the Neilgherries. Firminger '^ says the fruit, a pale, dirty yellow 

 berry, is used for jellies. In China, Pickering '' says the fruit is eaten and preserved. 



Gronovius Fl. Orient. 49. 1755. 



' Decaisne and Naudin Man. 4: 190. 



Mueller, F. Sel. Pis. 199. 1876. (R. rhaponticum) 



* Booth, W. B. Treas. Bot. 2:972. 1870. 

 ' Thorbum Cat. 1828. 



' Decaisne and Naudin Man. 4:190. 



' Brandis, D. Forest Fl. 217. 1874. 



' Masters, M. T. Treas. Bot. 2:975. '870. {R. mangle) 



Brandis, D. Forest Fl. 281. 1874. 



' Royle, J. P. lUustr. Bot. Himal. 1:259. 1839. 



" Richardson, J. Arctic Explor. 2:306. 1851. 



" Firminger, T. A. C. Gard. Ind. 264. 1874. (Myrtus tomentosa) 



" Pickering, C. Chron. Hist. Pis. 745. 1879. {Myrtus tomentosa) 



