664 
BOTANICAL PRODUCTIONS OF INDIA. 
one of the imports from China into Bokhara, 
whence passing to Smyrna, it is known in 
Europeas Turkey rhubarb. Chardin, treat- 
ing of that known in Persia, states — ‘La 
meilleure vient du pais des Tartares Orient- 
aux qui sont entre la Mer Caspienne et la 
Chine’ (Voyages, ii. p. 12). Rhubai’b, also 
of the best quality, and closely resembling the 
Russian, is to be purchased in the bazars of 
N. India, under the name rewund-khitaij 
from the old name Cathay ^ of Northern China. 
This is sold for ten times the price of the 
Himalayan rhubarb, which makes its way 
into the plains of India through Khalsee, 
Alraora, and Butan, and is probably, from its 
usual dark colour and spongy texture, the 
produce of either or both B.. Eniodi and Weh- 
bianum* 'I'he roots of R. specif orme and 
Moorcrofti'inum are lighter coloured and 
more compact in structure. Rhubarb is, in 
India, commonly denominated rewundcheenee 
(rivend tchini in. Persia, Chardin), with, raw- 
und assigned as its Arabic, and reon as its 
Greek name. I he above are evidently the 
rewund of Avicenna, nd the rawed seni of the 
tran-^lators of Mesue. 'I'hree kinds are de- 
scribed in Persian works on Materia Medica, 
1. Cheenee ; 2. Khomssanee : 3. Hindee. 
“ 'J'he roots of rhubarb we have seen to 
be pretty uniform in secreting the peculiar 
principle, called Rhabarbarin, possessing 
properties which ma ,e them useful as pur- 
gative medicines ; but these are also accom- 
panied by astringent properties, while -the 
stalks secrete acid, chiefly acetic and tartaric 
•with oxalate of lime (Fde) oxalic acid 
( I'urner) ; this is most fully developed in 
Sorrel [Rumex Acetosa and Acetosella), while 
the astringent principle, dependent on the 
presence of gallic acid and tannin, in many of 
the roots of the Poly^onsoe, is most fully 
secreted in Coccoloba uvfera, and ‘ so power- 
ful as to rival gum kino in its effects.’ (Lind- 
ley). Some of the Poh/gomms are, however, 
acrid, as P. Hydropiper and acre ; and others, 
as P. tinctorium, chinense, and barbatum, 
• “ That the rhubarb of this species is not willi- 
out some valuable propel ties, we may learn fiom 
Dr- Twiniiig’s report on expeiiinenis made on 
foily-ihree cases in the general liospital, Calcitiia, 
of which (lie following ate extracts; -Dr. I', states, 
that it has* less aroma and more asiringency to 
the taste than the best l uMtey rhuhnib; in doses of 
2 or 3 dis. it has a good purgative clfect, operating 
three or four times, nearly as fieely as the best 
l urkey rliubaib, 'I be eftecls of small doses of the 
remedy, as a tonic and astiingent, are iiigliiy satis- 
factory, as far as four or (i ve cases can be relied 
on. In Ibis respect its efficacy appears to be 
snpeiior to corresponding quantities of the best 
rlmbaib. On the whole, it appears not an eligible 
remedy in obstinate cosiiveness, on account of its 
aroma and asti ingency ; ‘ it is not apt to giipe," 
but it is very etiicacioiis in moderate doses for such 
cases as rhubarb is generally used to purge ; and its 
cultivation at tlreViussooree gaiden may be expected 
to afford a very valnalde remedy, which is less disa- 
greeable to lake ihau the best Tim hey rliubai b,neai ly 
equally efficacious as a purge, and veiy supei ior in 
small doses as a tonic and astiingent in piofluvia ” 
— Trans. Med, and Physic Soc.'of Calcutta, vol. 
iii. p. 44!. 
yield a blue dye, like indigo, in Cochin-chins, 
China, and Japan, 'i'he albumen of Polygo- 
nece being farinaceous, and in some consider- 
ably developed, has been used for food, a» 
buckwheat, Pigopyrum esculentum, and ta^ 
taricum, cultivated in many parts of Europe, 
and in the Himalayas with P. emarginatum. 
The two first are no doubt originally in- 
habitants of the mountains of Central Asia, 
and were first known in Europe under the 
name of ‘frumentura Sarracenicum.’ Both 
are much cultivated iu Russia and Siberia ; 
the first is usually preferred in other parts of 
Europe, but the second grows in every soil, 
and requires less time. Professor De Con- 
dolle says it is preferred to F. esculentum in 
Piedmont in the Luzerne valley, because it 
ripens quicker, and therefore in late years, 
and at higher elevations in the Alps. In 
the Himalayas, Fagopyrum esculentum fpha- 
phra and kooltoo of the natives) is also most 
commonly cultivated, frut F. emarginatum 
(ogla) which comes very near the Linnean 
specimens of F. tataricum, is preferred in 
higher and drier climates, as in Kunawur. 
Thus the more closely we examine the 
distribution of plants and the agriculture 
of different countries, the nearer do we ob- 
serve the correspondence m practical results 
among those which participate in the same 
peculiarities of climate ; and we cannot but 
admire the bounty of Nature which affords 
even in what appear sterile wastes, some 
article fitted for the food of man. and suited 
to the climate, with others which are adapted 
for commerce, as buckwheat, borax, musk, 
and rhubarb, from the three kingdoms of 
Nature, in the cold, bleak, and arid plains 
and mountains of l atary.” Page 314 to3l7. 
“ The herbaceous parts of many of this 
invn\\y,{f'henopodi<B) as spinage, &c. being 
insipid and mucilaginous, have been used as 
vegetable food in many parts of the world j 
so, in India, are several species of chenopo- 
dium (bhutwa, &c.), Beta hengalensis (gnlnxig 
andpaluk). Spinacia tetranda (isfanaka), and 
also Basella rubra (poee). I'he roots of beet 
and mangel wurzul also afford food : the 
successful extraction of sugar from the for- 
mer is one of the triumphs of science. 'Fhe 
seed of some are considered aromatic and 
stimulant, as Chenopodium Botrys, and 
Ambrosoides. C. vulvariu is said by Mr. 
Chevalier to exhale ammonia during the whole 
of its existence (Lindley, Nat. Ord. p. 168). 
The loose cellular texture of many of this 
family is supposed to favour the absorption 
and deposition of soda in their substance, 
when growing in the vicinity of the sea; and 
this in such considerable quantities, as to 
afford, by the incineration of several species 
of Salsola, Sdlicornia, Sueda, &c., the chief 
supply of the barilla of commerce on the 
coasts of Spain, the S. of France, and of 
Arabia. Dr. Roxburgh has already sug- 
gested (Flor . Ind. 2. p. 62), that Salicornia 
indie a nnd brachial a, with Salsola nudiflora, 
are so abundant on the coasts of India, as to 
be able to supply barilla sufficient to make 
soap and glass for the whole world. A 
coarse kind of barilla is procurable in I ndian 
