R . Rliaponti-
cum. _
bability, that this is the plant which produces? the true
rhubarb. But this inference does not appear to be ab-
folutely conclufive ; for the fame trials have been repeated,
and with fimilar fuccefs, upon the roots of the
R. Rhaponticum and R. Rhabarbarum.
The leaves o f the R. Rhaponticum are round, and
fometimes broader than they are long. This fpecies is
found abundantly in the loamy and dry deferts between
the Volga and the Yaik *, towards the Cafpian Sea, It
was probably from this fort that the name Rha, which is
the Tartarian appellation of tl^e river Volga, was firft' applied
by the Arabian phylicians to the feveral fpecies of
rheum. The roots however which grow in thefe warm
plains are rather too aftringent; and therefore ought not
to be ufed in cafes where opening medicines are required.
The Calmucs call it Badfhona, or a ftomachic. The
young ffioots of this plant, which appear in March or
April, are deemed a good antifcorbutic ; and are ufed as
fuch by the Ruffians. The R. Rhaponticum is not to be
found to the Weft of the Volga. The feeds of this
fpecies produced at Petersburg plants of a much greater
fize than the wild ones : the leaves were large, and of a
roundifh cordated figure.
* The Yaik falls into the Carpian Sea, about four degrees to the
Ealt of the Volga.
4
The
The R. Rhabarbarum grows in the crevices of bare r . r s * » - < banana
rocky mountains, and alfo upon gravelly foils: it is
more particularly found in the high vallies of the romantic
country fituated beyond -Lake Baikal. Its buds do
not fhoot before the end of April; and it continues in
flower during the whole month of May. The ftalks of
the leaves are eaten raw by the Tartars : they produce
upon moft perfons, who are unaccuftomed to them, a
kind of fphafmodic contraction of the throat, which goes
off in a few hours; it returns however at every meal,
until they become habituated to this kind of diet. The
Ruffians make rife of the leaves in their hodge-podge
accordingly, foups of this fort affedl ftrangers in the manner
above mentioned. In Siberia the ftalk is fometimes
preferved as a fweet-meat; and a cuftom prevails among
the Germans o f introducing at their tables the buds of
this plant, as well as of the Rheum Palmatum, inftead o f
cauli-flower.
The R. Rhaponticum which commonly grows nearR. Riupon-
' ticun*.
the torrents has, as well as the R. Rhabarbarum of Siberia,
the upper part of its roots commonly rotten, from
too much moifture : accordingly, a very final! portion of
the lower extremity is fit for ufe. The Ruffian College
o f Phyficians order, for the ufe of their military hof-
pitals, large quantities o f thefe roots to be dug up in
Siberia, which are prefcribed under the name of rha-
pontic. But the perfons employed in digging and preparing
it are fo ill inftruCted for that purpofe, that its
X x . , beft