A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Rhubarb (Eng.noun): Rheum rhabarbarum L.; Rha, indecl. = Rha, the Volga "on whose banks grew the radix pontica, Rha ponticum, rhubarb (Rheum Rhaponticum, L.), which thence received its name" (Lewis & Short). rha + ponticum; Rheum rhabarbarum L. (Polygonaceae).

Rheum, gen.sg. rhei (s.n.II), abl.sg. rheo: rhubarb.

Rha (indecl = [Gk.] R[h]a, the Wolga, on whose banks grew the radix pontica, Rha ponticum, rhubarb (Rheum Rhaponticum, L.) which thence received its name” (Lewis & Short).

Syrupus Rhei, (pharm.) Syrup of Rhubarb [Rheum rhabarbarum L. (Polygonaceae)].

- radix rhei, the root of Rheum [i.e. Rhubarb].

- RHABARBARUM est plantae genus, flore monopetalo, campaniformi & multifido: ex cujus fundo pistillum surgit, quod deindè crassèscit, semine foetum triangulari, capsulae triangulari pariter per maturitatem ita affixo, ut ab ipsa divelli nequeat (Tourn.), rhabarbarum is a kind of plant with a monopetalous [i.e. with petals joined by their edges] flower, campaniform [i.e. bell-shaped] and cut into many segments: the pistil stands up from its base, which then grows thick, filled with a triangular seed, so attached togther throughout maturity to the triangular capsule, so that it may be unable to be torn away from itself.

- Rhabarbari speciem unicam novi (Tourn.), I knew of only one species of Rhabarbarum.

- Rhabarbarum forte Dioscoridis & antiquorum. Rhaponticum P. Alp. Exot.[p.] 187 (Tourn.), perhaps the Rhabarbarum of Dioscorides and of the ancients.

- Rhabarbarum dicitur quasi radix apud Barbaros nascens: occurrit enim apud fluvium Rha, quem Wolga appellant in Moscovia (Tourn.), the root, apparently is said to be the ‘Rhabarbarum’ growing among primitive people: for it occurs beside the river ‘Rha,’ which they call the Volga in Moscow [i.e. Muscovy; Russia].

454. RHEUM. “Rhabarbarum Tournef.” 18.

Cal. nullus. [Calyx none.]

Cor. monopetala, basi angustata, impervia, limbo sexfida; laciniis obtusis, alternis minoribus. [Corolla monopetalous [i.e. petals with margins joined together], narrowed at the base, impervious, [i.e. without a passage through]; six-fid [i.e. divided into six segments] with respect to the limb; with the laciniae [i.e. segments] obtuse, alternate, smaller.

Stam. Filamenta novem, capillaria, corollae inserta, ejusdemque longitudine. Antherae didymae, oblongae, obtusae. [Stamens. The filaments nine, capillary [i.e. hair-like], inserted on the corolla, and with the length of the same [i.e. the corolla]. Anthers double [or ‘in pairs’], oblong, obtuse].

Pist. Germen breve, triquetrum. Styli vix ulli. Stigmata tria, reflexa, plumosae; ovary short, three-angled. Styles scarcely any. Stigmas three, reflexed, plumose].

Per. nullum. [Pericarp none].

Sem. unicum, magnum, triquetrum, acutum, marginibus membranaceis. [Seed single, large, three-angled, acute with membranaceous margins].