48 " ^Treatise 
[Of what Species the Plant is which produces 
Rhubarb is not very eafy to determine ; no Author 
having yet given any certain Account of it. Mm - 
tingius indeed has publifhed a Figure and De- 
fcription thereof, taken from Matthiolus , under the 
Name of Rhabarbarum lanuginofum , Jive Lapathum 
Chinenfe longifolium : But it is plain neither he nor 
Matthiolus had ever feen it; becaufe no Plant hi- 
therto known Correfponds to their Deicription. 
It is very likely, therefore, that both the Defcripti- 
on and Figure were formed meerly from the Rela- 
tions of Merchants who brought the Root from 
China. 
However not long Tince, M. Anthony and M. 
Bernard de JuJfieu , Profeffors of Botany in the Royal 
Garden at Paris , had a Plant fent to them from Muf- 
covy 9 called Rhabarbarum folio oblongo , drifpo , un- 
dulato , Jlabellis Sparjis , which is the fame that had 
been fent before from that Country to Mr. J Rand, 
Dire&or of the Phyfick-Garden at Chelfea y for 
true China Rhubarb, under the Name of Lapathum 
Bar dan a folio , undulato , glabro. And this undoubt- 
edly is the true China- Rhubarb ; not only as it was 
fent for fuch, but becaufe its Seeds agree with thofe 
of the true Rhubarb which were transmitted from 
China to M. Vandermonde , Phyfician of the Faculty 
of Paris . The Root, moreover, has exadtly the 
Figure and Appearance of Rhubarb, and its 
Colour, Smell, and Tafte alfo are the fame. This 
Plant is now cultivated in the Royal Garden at 
Paris , where it fiourifhes and bears the coldeft 
Winters.] 
Rhubarb contains a large Quantity of Sulphur 
and fixt Salt, joined with a little acid Salt and a 
large Stock of Earth. From thefe Principles mixed 
together arifes a gummous Compound, whereof 
the Gum and Earth are eafily feparated, and in no 
fmall 
