Rumex arcticus
Rumex spiralis
arctic dock
spiral tall dock, wing dock
erect, simple or branched in distal 2/3 (then with few, comparatively short branches), 10–70(–100) cm.
ascending or erect, usually producing axillary shoots below 1st-order inflorescence or at proximal nodes, 50–90 cm.
ocrea deciduous or partially persistent at maturity;
blade narrowly lanceolate, lanceolate, or oblong-lanceolate, normally 5–15(–20) × 1.5–5 cm, base cuneate to broadly cuneate, rarely truncate or very weakly cordate, margins entire or rarely indistinctly repand, flat, apex acute or subacute.
blades ovate-lanceolate, oblong-lanceolate, or lanceolate, 10–15 × 3–5.5 cm, usually 2.5–3.5 times as long as wide, widest in proximal 1/3, thick, usually not coriaceous, base broadly cuneate, truncate, or rounded, margins entire, flat or slightly undulate-crisped, apex acute or attenuate.
terminal, occupying distal 1/2–2/3 of stem, interrupted, paniculate, simple or nearly so (branches, when present usually less than 7–8 cm).
terminal and axillary, terminal usually occupying distal 1/2 of stem, dense, narrowly to broadly paniculate (branches usually simple).
articulated in proximal 1/3, filiform, 5–13(–17) mm, usually not more than 2–2.5 times as long as inner tepals, articulation weakly evident, not swollen.
articulated in proximal 1/3, thin but slightly thickened distally, (2–)3–7(–8) mm, usually as long as or shorter than inner tepals, articulation slightly swollen.
7–15 in whorls;
inner tepals ovate, 4.5–7.5(–8) × 4–6(–7) mm, base truncate to weakly cordate, margins entire, apex obtuse or subacute;
tubercles absent.
12–20 in whorls;
inner tepals broadly cordate or broadly ovate-deltoid, 7–10 × 8–12 mm, base deeply and broadly cordate, margins entire, apex acuminate;
tubercles 3, equal or subequal, usually minutely to distinctly rugose.
reddish brown, 3–4 × 1.5–2 mm.
brown or dark reddish brown, 2.5–3.5 × 2–2.5 mm.
= 40, 120, ca. 170, ca. 200.
= 20.
Rumex arcticus
Rumex spiralis
Rumex arcticus is polymorphic, as are R. aquaticus in the narrow sense and R. occidentalis. However, unlike R. aquaticus and R. occidentalus, it is represented by at least two chromosome races (G. A. Mulligan and C. Frankton 1972; Á. Löve 1986). Plants morphologically transitional between R. arcticus and R. aquaticus were described from Kamchatka as R. kamtschadalus (= R. arcticus var. kamtschadalus). The same forms occasionally occur in northwestern North America. According to Á. Löve and D. Löve (1975b) and Á. Löve (1986), they are usually tetraploids (2n = 40) and deserve recognition at the species level. However, they are not always morphologically distinct from R. arcticus. The group needs additional study, and at present I prefer to keep the tetraploid plants provisionally within R. arcticus, regarding them as var. kamtschadalus.
A few highly sterile specimens with mostly abortive flowers, which I have seen in Alaskan herbarium material, most probably represent hybrids between tetraploid and 12-ploid races of the R. aquaticus group.
Plants with unusually wide, triangular-oblong, or almost ovate leaves were described as var. latifolius Tolmatchew. This seems to be a predominant variety on the Beringian coast of Chukotka and Wrangel and Ratmanov islands (A. I. Tolmachew 1966). I also have seen at least two collections of this variety from the western coast of Alaska. The enigmatic var. perlatus Hultén may belong here (see discussion under 8. R. lapponicus).
Rumex arcticus has been reported from Churchill in northeastern Manitoba (H. J. Scoggan 1978–1979, part 3). That record needs confirmation because some northern forms of R. arcticus and R. occidentalis are similar.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Rumex spiralis is related to R. altissimus; however, it is geographically restricted and morphologically distinct. It has inner tepals larger than those of any other member of subsect. Salicifolii and distinctly wider leaves.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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