93 8 
Salmon ’ s Herbal. 
Lib. I. 
another Rbeubarb , called Rbabarbarum Monacho- 
rum , Patient ia, and Patientia hortenfis , Ldpathum 
fatitim , Garden Patience, or Monks-Rheubarb : of 
which we have already Difcourfed at laige in 
Chap. 547. aforegoing. 
III. Whence the frame might come , <?/• be derived. 
The Original Name is Rba, which Name it took 
as is fuppofed from rhe River Rba, now faid to be 
called Volga in Tontm , where the true Root did 
grow. But whence came the Name Rhabar- 
barum ? Why, fome will tell us it came from 
Barbary , as the Name expreffes, and they argue 
thus, becaufe that which comes from other places 
is denominated by the place from whence it comes, 
as Rhaponlicitm , Rhaturcicum , Rhathracicum , Rba- 
fcenicum , w/ Rbafceniticum , which is Rbaindicum , 
for Me fues fays, that Scenicum , or Sceniticum , is 
all one with Indicum. But thefe Difcourfes are 
far from Truth , becaufe that neither in Ba/- 
it felf, nor in the Country of the Troglodites , 
from whence it has been faid to be brought into 
Barbary , did ever any Rbeubarb yet grow. And 
that the Merchants of our Times Trading into 
thofe parts, can hear of no Rbeubarb growing in 
thofe Countries now : moreover the Scenita are not 
a People of India, but of Arabia Deferta , where 
no Spices or Drugs ever grew. Some again will 
have it come from Barbarum a City of India , ; 
above the River Indus, and that Rba-Indicum , and 
Rba Barbarum are all one. But this may be 
doubtful, and as far from the Truth as the former 
Opinion : The moft probable Judgement can be 
made is this, that the Greeks and Romans account- 
ed, and called all other Nations but themfelves, 
who were not Civiliz’d with their Breeding and 
Difcipline, Barbarous , or Barbarians : (alluding 
to thofe untrattable People, Inhabiting the Coaft 
and Country of Barbary ) and this Root or Drug, 
being brought from far , and from an uncultivated 
People, fcarcely known to them, they might join 
to the Name Rba, the Epithet barbarum, and fo 
make up the Word Rbabarbarum , which in procefs 
of time became the moft ufual and known Name, 
through all the Habitable World. 
The Descriptions, 
IV. The firj }, or True Rheubarb, or True Indi- 
an or China Rheubarb. The Root of this Plant, 
which is Tuberous, and in time grovos to be very 
great, has fever al great fpreading Branches , of a 
dark brownijh or reddijh color on the out fide, with 
a pale yellow thin Skin under it, which covers the 
inner Subftance of the Root : This Rind and under 
Skin , being pared away , the Root appears of a 
frejh and lively color, with Flefh colored Veins run- 
ning through it. This Root is carefully dried 
either in the Sun, or before a gentle Fire, or in the 
heat of a Stove, and with this Caution or Obferva- 
tion, that every piece be kept from touching one 
another, as it is done in India or China, where 
they put them upon Strings , that they may not 
touch, and fo dry them apart in the Sun-, and this 
is that True Indian Rheubarb which is brought to 
us by the Merchants , and Sold in our Druggifls 
Shops. This Root when not very old, holds its color , 
almojf a* well as when it is frejh, and gives a yel- 
low Tintture to the Spittle , when it is chewed in 
the Mouth. When the Winter is pafl, this Root 
(in the place where it grows) fends forth young 
Sprouts, which at their firft appearance out of the 
Ground , have green , round , brownijh heads. 
nfing up from the middle or fide s of the Root , which 
open into f undry Leaves, one ajter another, very 
much crumpled or folded together at the firji, and 
brownijh -, but afterzoards Jpread themfelves abroad 
and become fmooth, very large, waved on the edges, 
and almojl round, each LeaJ Jiandingon a browni/h 
Rheubarb China and Englifh. 
Stalk , of the thicknefs of a Mans Thumb, when 
they ate grown to their full bignefs : moft of the 
Stalks are two Toot or more in length , (efpecially 
if the Plant grows in any good and moft Ground) 1 
mean the length of the foot Stalk upon which the 
Leaf grows , from the bottom of the Leaf to the 
Root from whence it Springs. The Leaf it felf 
is atfo about two Feet or more in length -, and the 
breadth thereof is two Feet likewife being tneafured 
from edge to edge in the broaieft place , being of a 
fad or dark green color, and thicker in Subftance 
than the Ballard Rheubarb in Seft. VII. following, 
it is of a fine tart f owe rijh Tafte, much more p/ea'- 
fant, than either our Garden or Wood Sorrel. From 
among thefe Leaves rifes up fometimes, (but not 
every leer) a ftrong thick Stalk, not growing fo 
high as Patience, or Monks Rheubarb, with fab 
waved round Leaveet at grow below, but /mailer 
at every Joint up to the top ; and among the Flow 
ers (which are white) fp reads forth it Jelf into 
fever al Branches, contrary to the manner of the 
Baftard Rheubarb following, or of any other of 
the Docks. The Floaters conjift of five or fix f m fn 
white Leaves apiece, hardly to be difeerned from 
the white Threads which are in the middle and 
feeming to be all Threads : After the Flowers are 
paft away there comes in f moll brownijh Husks the 
Seed, which is of a brownijh color, and triangular 
or tetrahedrical, like unto other Docks, but larger 
by which it may appear plainly, that the True In- 
dian or China Rheubarb is only a Species of the 
Dock. J 
V . Query. It may well be demanded of me why 
I Jhottld place Rheubarb, among our Englilh Plant} 
fince 
