Ruta
(Rute was the old Greek name, probably from ruomai, to preserve; in allusion to the effects of the plant on health). Herb of Grace; Rue. Including Haplohyllum (or Aplophyllum). ORD. Rutaceae. A genus comprising about forty species of hardy or half-hardy, strong-smelling, gland-dotted, perennial herbs or sub-shrubs, broadly scattered over the Mediterranean region and Western and Central Asia. Flowers yellow or greenish, sometimes cymose; calyx short, four or five-lobed or parted, persistent; petals four or five, imbricated, often toothed or ciliated; torus thick; stamens eight to ten; corymbs or panicles terminal, many-flowered, leafy-bracted. Leaves alternate, simple, trifoliolate, pinnatisect or decompound. Few of the species are of any horticultural value; all that call for mention are described below, and are hardy sub-shrubs, except where otherwise indicated. They are of easy culture in any light, rich soil. Propagated by seeds, or by cuttings. For culture, &c., of R. graveolens, see Rue.
R. albiflora (white-flowered). fl. white; petals entire, shorter than the stamens; branches of panicle bracteate. July to September. l. supra-decompound; leaflets obovate, glaucous, pubescent, somewhat auricled, the terminal one large, obcordate. h. 2ft. Nepaul. An elegant, half-hardy sub-shrub, clothed with glandular pubescence. (H. E. F. 79.) Boenninghausenia albiflora is the correct name of this plant.
R. angustifolia (narrow-leaved). A synonym of R. Chalepensis. R. bracteosa (bracteate). fl., petals ciliated. June to September. l. pinnate; leaflets oblong, on short stalks; the terminal one largest, the lower ones cut into three to five leaflets. h. 3ft. South Europe, &c., 1772. SYN. R. macrophylla.
R. chalepensis (Aleppo). fl. petals ciliated; bracts small, ovate. June to September. l. supra-decompound, four times longer than broad; leaflets oblong-cuneate, almost equal, very glaucous. h. 2ft. Mediterranean region, 1722. SYN. R. angustifolia (B. M. 2311).
R. graveolens (strong-scented). Common Rue; Countryman's Treacle; Herb of Grace. fl., the first one opening having usually ten stamens, the rest only eight; petals entire, or a little toothed. June to September. l. supra-decompound; leaflets oblong, the terminal one obovate. h. 3ft. South Europe, 1562. variegata is a useful garden form, having foliage spotted with white.
R. macrophylla (large-leaved). A synonym of R. bracteosa. R. patavina (Paduan). fl. yellow, with a green central rib, in a dense corymb; petals glabrous, oblong, obtuse, attenuated at base; pedicels slender, scarcely as long as the flowers. June and July. l. glabrous; lower ones attenuated at base, oblong-spathulate; the rest trisected, with oblong or linear segments. Stem dwarf, simple, densely leafy. Orient, 1819. R. suaveolens (sweet-smelling). fl. yellow, corymbose, having the smell of those of Primula officinalis; calyx a little fringed; petals obovate. June to September. l. entire, spathulately lanceolate, glaucous, smoothish. h. 2ft. Tauria, 1800. (B. M. 2254, under name of R. linifolia grandiflora.)