British Flawer-GardeJi. 161 



striped with dark purple. Altogether a splendid plant, which will stand very 

 well in a warm border, protecting it from the slugs, and from severe frost. 

 Soil a light loam, mixed with a little peat or decayed leaves, and one half 

 sand. — <2^nothera roseo-alba ; Onagrariae. An annual. " One of the 

 most beautiful species of the genus, and thrives well in the open border," 

 Supposed to be a hybrid production, produced in the German gardens. 



No. LXVIII.for October, coniahis 



269 to 272. — 7?heum (from the river Rha, now the Volga, beyond which 

 grows a root bearing its name, much renowned in medicine, according to 

 Dioscorides ; from rhed, to flow, in allusion to its medicinal qualities, accord- 

 ing to Linnaeus) australe ; Polygoneae. The leaves are heart-shaped, large, 

 their margin set with little red glands ; the flowers are of a blood-red, as 

 are the seed-vessels ; and, from these circumstances, it is easily distinguished 

 from every other species of the genus yet known. Dr. Wallich, of Cal- 

 cutta, first transmitted seeds of this species to England ; from which plants 

 were raised by A. B. Lambert, Esq., of Boyton House, and flowered in June, 

 1828. Mr. Don and Mr. Sweet consider it " undoubtedly the handsomest 

 species of the genus," independently of " the interest attached to it as a 

 medicinal plant.^' The following description is by Mr. David Don ; — 



" The stem in the cultivated plant is from 7 to 10 ft. high; the leaves 

 are numerous, ample, and of a grassy green ; the flowers are smaller than 

 in any other species of the genus, of a dark or blood-red colour, and dis- 

 posed in many branched clusters ; the seeds that afterwards appear are 

 dark red, with a highly polished surHice, resembling, at a distance, clusters 

 of glittering beads. When bruised, they emit a powerful odour of rhubarb, 

 are highly astringent, and dye the fingers red, from the quantity of colouring 

 matter contained in the testa. It is perfectly hardy, and appears to ripen 

 its seeds even more copiously than the other species ; and, from some trials 

 that have been made with the footstalks of the leaves, it seems disposed to 

 vindicate its medicinal claims even in our own climate. The colour of the 

 flowers would alone be sufficient to distinguish it among its congeners. The 

 late period of flowering deserves also to be remarked. As all the species 

 are endowed, in a greater or less degree, with similar properties, much dif- 

 ference of opinion has arisen, both among botanists and pharmacologists, 

 respecting the one that yields the rhubarb of commerce. Linnasus con- 

 sidered it at first as the produce of his R. Rhabarbarum or undulatum, but 

 he afterwards appears to have altered his opinion in favour of R. palmatum ; 

 which opinion has been almost universally adopted by pharmacological 

 writers, although it is admitted that the qualities of the root of R. pal- 

 matum differ materially from the Turkey rhubarb of the shops : but this 

 deterioration has been attributed to the difference of soil and climate. The 

 jR. australe appears to be peculiar to the great table lands of central Asia, 

 between the latitudes of 31^ and 40°, where it is found to flourish at an 

 elevation of 1 1,000 ft. above the level of the sea. Large quantities of the 

 roots are annually collected for exportation, in the Chinese provinces within 

 the lofty range of the Himalaya. The best is that which comes by way of 

 Russia, as greater care is taken in the selection ; and on its arrival at 

 Kiachta, within the Russian fi-ontiers, the roots are carefully examined, and 

 the damaged pieces removed." 



Mr. Sweet has been " informed that the stems of the leaves have the same 

 effect as the root ; only, of course, a greater portion of them will require to 

 be used. They may be made up in a small tart, like the stems of the 

 common rhubarb." Culture as in the other species, covering the roots a 

 little in very severe winters. 



Tropae'olum tricolorum. {Jig. 36.) The root is tuberous, oblong, with a 

 rough brown bark ; the stem slender, climbing to the height of JO or 12 ft., 



Vol. v.— No. 19. m 



