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common sheep sorrel, field sorrel, oseille, petite oseille, red sorrel, sheep dock, sheep sorrel, sour weed, sûrette

Argentine dock, wedge-leaf dock

Habit Plants perennial, glabrous, with vertical rootstock and/or creeping rhizomes. Plants perennial, glabrous or slightly papillose-pubescent especially on leaf blades abaxially, with long-creeping rhizomes and/or stolons.
Stems

erect or ascending, several from base, branched in distal 1/2 (in inflorescence), 10–40(–45) cm;

shoots variable.

and axillary shoots ascending or erect, branching in distal 2/3, (5–)10–30(–40) cm.

Leaves

ocrea brownish at base, silvery and lacerated in distal 1/2;

blade normally obovate-oblong, ovate-lanceolate, lanceolate-elliptic, or lanceolate, occasionally, linear-lanceolate to almost linear, 2–6 × 0.3–2 cm, base hastate (with spreading, entire or sometimes multifid, dissected lobes), occasionally without evident lobes, then base broadly cuneate, margins entire, flat or nearly so, apex acute or obtuse.

blades distinctly obovate or obovate-elliptic, 5–8(–12) × (2–)3–5(–7) cm, widest in distal 1/2, rather fleshy, coriaceous, base cuneate, margins entire to obscurely repand, crisped or occasionally flat, apex obtuse, rounded.

Inflorescences

terminal, usually occupying distal 1/2–2/3 of stem, usually lax and interrupted to top, broadly or narrowly paniculate.

terminal and axillary, occupying distal 1/2–2/3 of shoots, usually dense at least in distal part, narrowly to broadly paniculate (but branches in most cases simple or nearly so).

Pedicels

1–3 mm.

articulated near middle or in proximal 1/3, thickened (especially distally), 3–5 mm, not more than 2–2.5 times as long as inner tepals, articulation distinct, swollen.

Flowers

(3–)5–8(–10) in whorls;

inner tepals not or slightly enlarged, normally 1.2–1.7(–2) × 0.5–1.3 mm (free wing absent or barely visible), base cuneate, apex obtuse or subacute.

5–20 in whorls;

inner tepals ovate-deltoid or ovate-triangular, 4–5 × (2.5–)3–3.5 mm, base broadly cuneate or truncate, margins entire, apex obtuse or subacute;

tubercles 3, equal or unequal, finely punctate.

Achenes

brown or dark brown, 0.9–1.5 × 0.6–0.9 mm.

glossy brown or dark reddish brown, 2.5–3 × 1.8–2.5 mm.

2n

= 14, 28, 42.

= 40.

Rumex acetosella

Rumex cuneifolius

Phenology Flowering spring–summer. Flowering spring–summer.
Habitat Roadsides, cultivated fields, waste places, disturbed areas, lawns, meadows, railroad gravels, sandy and muddy shores: usually in acidic soils Waste places, sandy shores
Elevation 0-2700 m (0-8900 ft) 0-500 m (0-1600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; AL; AR; AZ; CA; CO; CT; DC; DE; FL; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MS; MT; NC; ND; NE; NH; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; TX; UT; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NF; NS; ON; PE; QC; SK; YT; SPM; Greenland; Europe; w Asia [Introduced in North America; introduced almost worldwide]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; FL; OR; South America [Introduced in North America; introduced in Europe, Australia]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Rumex acetosella in the broad sense is an extremely variable and taxonomically complicated polyploid complex, which includes diploids, tetraploids, hexaploids, and octoploids. This complex (excluding more distantly related arctic-montane R. graminifolius and its allies) probably originated and developed mostly in southern Europe and southwestern Asia. Some races of R. acetosella now are distributed almost worldwide as introduced and often completely naturalized aliens.

Á. Löve (1941, 1983) assumed that in this group chromosome numbers are strictly correlated with morphology. In his opinion, every chromosome race represents a distinct species: diploid Rumex angiocarpus Murbeck [= Acetosella angiocarpa (Murbeck) Á. Löve]; tetraploid R. multifidus Linnaeus [= R. tenuifolius (Wallroth) Á. Löve = Acetosella multifida (Linnaeus) Á. Löve]; hexaploid R. acetosella in the narrow sense [= A. vulgaris (W. D. J. Koch) Fourreau, with gymnocarpous A. vulgaris subsp. vulgaris and angiocarpous A. vulgaris subsp. pyrenaica (Pourret ex Lapeyrouse) Á. Löve]; hexaploid R. graminifolius Rudolph ex Lambert [= A. graminifolia (Rudolph ex Lambert) Á. Löve]. However, the distribution given by Löve for these taxa seems unnatural. Studies by J. C. M. den Nijs and collaborators (den Nijs 1974, 1976, 1984; den Nijs and T. Panhorst 1980; den Nijs et al. 1980, 1985; see also W. Harris 1969, 1973) indicate that the situation is more complicated. They postulated the development of two major evolutionary lines into two ploidy complexes: a primary western Mediterranean one and a secondary eastern Mediterranean one. According to this scheme, polyploid races independently and spontaneously emerged (and still are emerging) within different ancestral populations.

The most widespread, almost cosmopolitan race, presumably native to the southwestern Mediterranean region, including southwestern and Atlantic Europe, which is common in North America, is characterized by a hexaploid chromosome set (2n = 42), nonmultifid lateral lobes of basal leaves, and angiocarpy (fruits are not easily separable from accrescent inner tepals). It was commonly and erroneously referred to as Rumex angiocarpus Murbeck, or R. acetosella subsp. angiocarpus (Murbeck) Murbeck. According to J. R. Akeroyd (1991), who in general followed the taxonomic revision of the group by J. C. M. den Nijs (1984), the correct name for this taxon is R. acetosella subsp. pyrenaicus (Pourret ex Lapeyrouse) Akeroyd (=Acetosella vulgaris subsp. pyrenaica (Pourret ex Lapeyrouse) Á. Löve). Gymnocarpous nonmultifid and multifid forms (R. acetosella subsp. acetosella and R. acetosella subsp. acetoselloides (Balansa) den Nijs, respectively) also occur in North America, but evidently rarely. The distributions of subspecies of R. acetosella in North America are poorly known. Keys and detailed descriptions for the subspecies were provided by den Nijs and Akeroyd. However, the tempting simplicity of the keys is somewhat suspicious. The alternative point of view (and an alternative key) may be found in Á. Löve (1983).

Rumex acetosella subsp. arenicola Mäkinen ex Elven was recently described from Greenland and reported for Scandinavia and arctic Russia (R. Elven et al. 2000). This entity seems to be morphologically transitional toward Rumex graminifolius (see discussion under that species below). According to Elven et al., it differs from other infraspecific entities of R. acetosella in having the following characters: leaves usually without basal lobes (as in R. graminifolius), with revolute margins; inflorescence sparsely branched; tepals and pedicels densely covered with red papillae (as in R. graminifolius). From R. graminifolius and related taxa (R. beringensis and R. krausei) it can be distinguished by narrower inner tepals (similar in size to those in other subspecies of R. acetosella). The distribution of subsp. arenicola and its relations to other taxa are in need of further study.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Rumex cuneifolius, a representative of the predominantly South American subsection Cuneifolii Rechinger f., is an uncommon alien known from a few localities in North America. It may have become naturalized in the southwestern part of the United States, especially in coastal regions. The species is known definitely from Portland, Oregon, and was reported as “apparently well established in s.c. Oregon” (C. L. Hitchcock et al. 1955–1969, vol. 2).

This species may have been reported from Provo, Utah, by Á. Löve (1986), as Rumex frutescens. However, it is not mentioned by S. L.Welsh et al. (1993).

The name Rumex frutescens Thouars has been misapplied to R. cuneifolius in both Europe and North America. According to K. H. Rechinger (1990), R. frutescens in the narrow sense is an endemic species of the remote South Atlantic islands Tristan de Cuhna and Gough; it differs from R. cuneifolius in having thinner rhizomes, shorter petioles and leaf blades, and smaller inner tepals. Rumex cuneifolius can hybridize with some other species (J. E. Lousley 1953).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 5, p. 498. FNA vol. 5, p. 514.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Polygonoideae > Rumex > subg. Acetosella Polygonaceae > subfam. Polygonoideae > Rumex > subg. Rumex > sect. Axillares
Sibling taxa
R. acetosa, R. alpinus, R. altissimus, R. arcticus, R. beringensis, R. britannica, R. brownii, R. bucephalophorus, R. californicus, R. chrysocarpus, R. confertus, R. conglomeratus, R. crassus, R. crispus, R. cristatus, R. cuneifolius, R. densiflorus, R. dentatus, R. ellipticus, R. fascicularis, R. floridanus, R. fueginus, R. graminifolius, R. hastatulus, R. hesperius, R. hymenosepalus, R. kerneri, R. krausei, R. lacustris, R. lapponicus, R. longifolius, R. maritimus, R. mexicanus, R. nematopodus, R. obovatus, R. obtusifolius, R. occidentalis, R. orthoneurus, R. pallidus, R. palustris, R. paraguayensis, R. patientia, R. paucifolius, R. persicarioides, R. praecox, R. pseudonatronatus, R. pulcher, R. pycnanthus, R. salicifolius, R. sanguineus, R. sibiricus, R. spiralis, R. stenophyllus, R. subarcticus, R. thyrsiflorus, R. tomentellus, R. transitorius, R. triangulivalvis, R. utahensis, R. venosus, R. verticillatus, R. violascens
R. acetosa, R. acetosella, R. alpinus, R. altissimus, R. arcticus, R. beringensis, R. britannica, R. brownii, R. bucephalophorus, R. californicus, R. chrysocarpus, R. confertus, R. conglomeratus, R. crassus, R. crispus, R. cristatus, R. densiflorus, R. dentatus, R. ellipticus, R. fascicularis, R. floridanus, R. fueginus, R. graminifolius, R. hastatulus, R. hesperius, R. hymenosepalus, R. kerneri, R. krausei, R. lacustris, R. lapponicus, R. longifolius, R. maritimus, R. mexicanus, R. nematopodus, R. obovatus, R. obtusifolius, R. occidentalis, R. orthoneurus, R. pallidus, R. palustris, R. paraguayensis, R. patientia, R. paucifolius, R. persicarioides, R. praecox, R. pseudonatronatus, R. pulcher, R. pycnanthus, R. salicifolius, R. sanguineus, R. sibiricus, R. spiralis, R. stenophyllus, R. subarcticus, R. thyrsiflorus, R. tomentellus, R. transitorius, R. triangulivalvis, R. utahensis, R. venosus, R. verticillatus, R. violascens
Synonyms Acetosa acetosella, Acetosa hastata, Acetosa vulgaris, R. acetosella var. vulgaris
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 338. (1753) Campderá: Monogr. Rumex, 95. (1819)
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