POLYGONACEiE. 



541 



Inhabits the northern face of the Himalayas, also in Thibet. Dr. Royle 

 says that Rhubarb sent Mr. Moorcroft, from near Ludak, was of excellent 

 quality ; and it is suggested by Dr. Lindley that it is not improbable that it 

 may have been furnished by this species. 



2. R. moorcroftianum, Royle. — Petioles deeply furrowed, with stipules as long as the 

 petioles, and much more membranous. The imperfect rudiments of leaves (scales) at the 

 base are even longer than the stipules, and are very thin and much torn. Leaves clothed 

 with a short scabrous pubescence. 



Royle, Illus. 318 ; Mat. Med. 506 ; Lindley, Flor. Med. 356. 



Found at the Niti Pass in the Himalayas, and in Thibet. The root, like 

 that of the last species, is compact, of a bright yellow colour, and is said to 

 be more purgative. Dr. Royle thinks it probable that the commercial species 

 will be found to resemble these two in habit, as they occupy the same kinds 

 of locality. 



* # Having compound racemes. 



3. R. emodi, Wallich. — Leaves cordate, acute, 



dull-green, but little wavy, flattish, very much Fig. 232. 



wrinkled, distinctly rough, with coarse, short hairs 

 on both sides; sinus of the base open, not wedge- 

 shaped, but diverging at an obtuse angle, with the 

 lobes nearly turned upwards. Petioles very rough, 

 rounded-angular, furrowed, with the upper side de- 

 pressed, bordered by an elevated edge, and much 

 narrower at the upper than the lower end. 



Wallich, MSS., Hooker, Bot. Mag. t. 

 3508; Royle, Mat. Med. 506; Nees, Suppl 

 t. 31, A. B.; Lindley, Flor. Med. 354; 

 Pereira, Mat. Med. ii. 273 ; R. australe, 

 Don, Prod. Fl Nep. 75 ; Sweet, Fl Gard. 

 t. 269. 



Inhabits the Himalayas. When this 

 plant was first made known, it was de- 

 clared, especially by Mr. Don, that it was 

 the species affording the Russia and Tur- 

 key rhubarbs ; but this was disproved by Dr. Pereira, who found that speci- 

 mens of the root sent him by Dr. Wallich were widely different from the 

 commercial article. Dr. Lindley, however, says that the roots of both this 

 species and the next are valuable medicines; and Mr. Twining (Trans. Med. 

 Soc. Calc. iii. 439) states that he has tried them in many cases, and found 

 them nearly as efficacious a purgative as the best Turkey Rhubarb, less dis- 

 agreeable to take, but more tonic and astringent. The petioles make ex- 

 cellent tarts. 



4. R. webbianum, Royle. — Radical leaves large, long-stalked, cordate, acute ; cauline ones 

 obtuse, rather downy above, veiny beneath, and margin hairy. Petioles hairy. 



Royle, Illus. 318, t. 78; Mat. Med. 506; Lindley, Flor. Med. 355; 

 Pereira, Mat. Med. ii. 273; R. emodi, Meisner; Wallich, PI. As.rar. iii. 65. 



The properties of this species are the same as the last. It is also found on 

 the Himalayas. 



5. R. rhaponticum, Linn. — Leaves roundish-ovate, cordate, obtuse, pale-green, but 

 little wavy, very concave, even, very slightly downy on the under side, especially near the 

 edge, and on the edge itself; scabrous at the margin ; sinus quite open, large, and cu- 

 neate. Petiole depressed, channelled on the upper side, with the edges regularly rounded 

 off, pale-green, striated, scarcely scabrous. 



R. emodi. 



