350 DICTIONARY OF POPULAR NAMES RHUBARB 



American species R. maximuvi is, however, recorded to have 

 been introduced earlier. 



In Aiton's H or tics Kewensis 14 species are enumerated, in- 

 cluding the above. In 1818 Dr. Wallich forwarded to this 

 country seeds of E. arboreum, native of ^N'epal, which were 

 reared in the Eoyal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, and two plants 

 were forwarded to Kew, the largest of which was, in 1880, 23 

 feet high, girth of stem 3 feet 6 inches, and circumference of 

 branches 15 feet, and in some years it is thickly covered with 

 scarlet flowers. The introduction of several other Indian species 

 quickly followed. The botanical discoveries of Sir Joseph Hooker 

 in Sikkim Himalaya, between 1847-51, added greatly to the 

 number of Indian species in cultivation. At the same time 

 many line species were introduced from Bhotan, none of which, 

 however, were found sufficiently hardy to withstand the severe 

 winters of this country. This led cultivators to raise hybrids 

 between B. loonticum and other hardy species, and R. arboreum 

 and other Indian species, which have proved eminently success- 

 ful, and now our shrubberies are yearly gay with a numerous 

 variety of variously-coloured showy flowers. Among the Sikkim 

 species are trees 40 to 50 feet high, others form shrubs of 

 ordinary size, while those of the higher regions form low bushes, 

 some with heath-like leaves. A poisonous principle, of greater 

 or lesser intensity in different species, pervades the whole of the 

 genus. In Sikkim R. cinnabarinum poisons cattle and goats ; 

 manv die from eating: its leaves. When used as fuel it causes 

 the face to swell and the eyes to inflame. R. o.nthopogon and 

 R. setosuni, two small-leaved bushy species, natives of the higher 

 regions of Sikkim, emit an odour which gives headache to those 

 travelling in the elevated regions where they grow. The scent 

 of R. antliopogon is so strong, and is retained for so long a time, 

 that it is disagreeable even in the herbarium. The flowers of R. 

 arboreum yield such a large quantity of honey that the ground 

 becomes wet under the plants. Bees and wasps get intoxicated 

 and lose their lives by becoming fixed in the mass of honey. 



Rhubarb. — Rheum jpalmatum, R. officinale, R. PJuqjoiiticum, 



