Description

Rheum emodi, the Indian rhubarb, is a large perennial herb of the family Polygonaceae, native to the temperate and sub-alpine meadows of the western and central Himalayas — from Afghanistan through Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Sikkim to Bhutan — at elevations between 2,700 and 4,500 metres. The massive, branched rhizome, which may weigh several kilograms in mature specimens, is internally yellowish-brown to orange-brown and carries a characteristic earthy, slightly bitter fragrance. Documented in Unani pharmacopoeia as Rawand Chini and in Ayurveda as Amlavetasa (though taxonomic identification with this Sanskrit name is debated), the rhizome is incorporated in classical cathartic formulations. The dried root was historically a luxury trade article from India to Persia and Arabia along the Silk Route. Listed in the Unani Pharmacopoeia of India.