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Bastard Rhubarb

Description. This has a large root, thick at the head, and divided into many branches, of a dark brown on the outside, and a deep yellow colour within, of a bitterish taste. From this root arise several large, somewhat crumpled, green leaves; roundish, but pointed at the end, of a sourish taste, growing on reddish footstalks; from among these arises a thick stalk, three or four feet high, having small leaves, and a numerous company of white, staminous, six-leaved flowers, succeeded by large, shining, triangular brown seed. The root of this plant, if carefully dried, pretty much resembles the finest Turkish rhubarb, especially the heads, having the same reddish veins, that it may deceive those who are not very well acquainted with the difference; and this is what ought to be used in the shops, as being the true raphontic; what the drugsters used formerly to sell for it being the root of the raphonticum folio helenii incanc, C.B. which is a species of the great century, and of far less virtue than this.

Place. It is a native of Scythia, but grows well in our gardens. Time. It flowers in the middle of summer.

Government and virtues. It is under the dominion of Mars. Raphontic, as to its purgative quality, is much weaker than rhubarb; but is accounted more restringent, and good in fluxes and weakness of the stomach, spitting of blood, and making bloody urine. It is likewise good against the bites of venomous creatures. It is an ingredient in the theriaca andromachi. Name. Called also great round-leaved dock.

Description. This has divers large, round, this, yellowish green leaves, rising from the root, a little waved about the edges, every one standing upon a reasonable thick and long brownish foot-stalk, from among which rises up a pretty big stalk, about two feet high, with some such like leaves growing thereon, but smaller; at the top whereof stand in a long spike many small brownish flowers, which turn into a hard, three-square, shining brown seed, like the garden-patience before described. The root grows greater than that, with many branches of great fibres thereat, yellow on the outside, and some what pale: yellow within, with some discoloured veins like to the rhubarb which is first described, but much less than it, especially when it is dry. Place. These grow in gardens.

Time. They flower and send in June, and the seed is ripe in July.