rux; a genus of the monogynia order, belonging to the decandria clas of plants. There are several species; of which the most remarkable is the hortensis, or common broad-leaved garden rue, which has been long cultivated for medicinal use. This rises with a shrubby stalk to the height of five or six feet, sending out branches on every side, garnished with decomposed leaves, whose small lobes are wedge-shaped, of a grey colour, and have a strong odour. The flowers are produced at the end of the branches, in bunches almost in the form of umbels; they are composed of four yellow concave petals which are cut on their edges, and eight yellow stamens which are longer than the petals, terminated by roundish summits. The germen becomes a roundish capsule, with four lobes punched full of holes containing rough black seeds.
Rue has a strong ungrateful smell, and a bitterish penetrating taste; the leaves, when full of vigour, are extremely acid, insomuch as to inflame and blister the skin, if much handled. With regard to their medicinal virtues, they are powerfully stimulating, attenuating, and detergent; and hence, in cold phlegmatic habits, they quicken the circulation, dissolve tenacious juices, open obstructions of the excretory glands, and promote the fluid secretions. The writers on the materia medica in general, have entertained a very high opinion of the virtues of this plant. Boerhaave is full of its praises; particularly of the essential oil, and the distilled water cohabitated or re-distilled several times from fresh parcels of the herb: after extravagantly commending other waters prepared in this manner, he adds, with regard to that of rue, that the greatest commendations he can bestow upon it fall short of its merit: "What medicine (says he) can be more efficacious for promoting sweat and perspiration, for the cure of the hysterical passion, and of epilepsy, and for expelling poison?" Whatever service rue may be of in the two last cases, it undoubtedly has its use in the others: the cohabited water, however, is not the most efficacious preparation of it. An extract made by rectified spirit, contains in a small compass the whole virtues of the rue; this menstruum taking up by infusion all the pungency and flavour of the plant, and elevating nothing in distillation. With water, its peculiar flavour and warmth arise; the bitterness, and a considerable share of the pungency, remaining behind.
RYE
Book of RUTH, a canonical book of the Old Testament; being a kind of appendix to the book of Judges, and an introduction to those of Samuel; and having its title from the person whose story is here principally related. In this story are observable the ancient rights of kindred and redemption; and the manner of buying the inheritance of the deceased, with other particulars of great note and antiquity.