32 Perennial Crops 



high: root a mass of long fleshy cord-like members spreading 

 from the sides and bottom of a progressive rootstock : shoots 

 arising from the crown in early spring, succulent but subse- 

 quently decreasing in diameter, without ordinary foliage, com- 

 prising the edible part of the plant; tops dying in autumn: 

 leaves on young shoots triangular-cuspidate, A to % in. long ; 

 on the branches represented by very small scarious scales, from 

 the axils of which arise one but usually several short green 

 terete cladodes or cladophylls (commonly regarded as leaves) 

 •ft to % in. long and perhaps one elongated branch, the plumose 

 cladodes and stems altogether constituting the foliage : flowers 

 1 to 4 in the axils of the cladodes, on slender jointed pedicels ; 

 male or sterile fls. yellowish green and conspicuous, nearly % 

 in. long, bell-shaped, the perianth 6-toothed about one-third its 

 depth, the stamens 6 and included, pistil present but abortive ; 

 female or fertile fls. (on separate plants) less conspicuous, 

 one-half or less the length of the sterile fls., the pistil practi- 

 cally filling the perianth and the 3 stigmas protruding: fr. a 

 globular hanging red 3-celled berry, ^ to % in. diameter, 

 usually maturing several seeds, the remains of the 6 perianth- 

 lobes appressed on its base; seeds large (% in. or less diam.), 

 rounded at the back and more or less angled or flattened 

 toward the micropyle, black, without prominent surface marks, 

 weighing 15 to 22 mg., retaining germinating power 5 years 

 or more.— Native on coasts and sandy areas, Great Britain, 

 Mediterranean region, to central Asia. The usual native form 

 (var. maritimus, Linn.) is a short-branched plant more or 

 less prostrate at the base. The var. altilis (Latin : large, fat, 

 nourishing) has longer branches and the thick stout stem is 

 erect from the base; known in cultivation and as an escape. 

 It is a plant of ancient cultivation. 



RHUBAED OR PIE-PLANT 

 As a garden vegetable, rhubarb is growri for the large 

 thick acid petioles or leafstalks, which are used in spring 

 for sauces and pies. The plant is perfectly hardy; it de^ 



