DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF FLOWERS. 345 
RICINUS.—Pauma Curist1.—Casror-o1L PLAN. 
[From the Latin name for the tick, an insect which the seeds resemble.) 
Ricinus comminis.—This is the common Castor-oil 
Plant. A very luxuriant, strong-growing annual, some- 
times found in the garden, not so much for its beauty as 
for curiosity. Some of the species are ornamental as well 
as curious. 
R. sanguineus, is well worthy of a place in the flower- 
garden, where there is a plenty of room. The seeds 
should be started in a hot-bed or green-house, and trans- 
planted into small pots when they are three or four inches 
high, and turned out into the garden in June. They 
make a vigorous growth, and attain the height of eight or 
ten feet before the frost overtakes them, with numerous 
side branches, with terminal spikes of greenish-yellow 
flowers, one or one foot and one-half long; these are suc- 
ceeded by thorny capsules of a light-scarlet color, which 
are very ornamental. The stalks of the plants as well as 
the foot-stalks of the leaves, are brownish-red. The leaves 
are very large, palmate, and elegant. 
RUDBECKIA. 
(Named after Olaus Rudbeck, professor of botany at Upsal.] 
A genus of North American plants, some of them valu- 
able for the border; all are hardy, and easily propagated 
by dividing the roots. 
Rudbéckia filgida has large, brilliant yellow flowers, 
with a dark center, or disk; about two feet high; continu- 
ing in bloom all the months of July and August; peren- 
nial. 
R. amplexifolia.—An herbaceous annual plant, grows 
from two to three feet high; straight branching stems; 
lanceolated radical leaves, sinewy and petiolated; the. 
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