Rumex crispus
Rumex bucephalophorus
curled dock, curly dock, patience crépue, reguette, rumex crépu, sour dock, yellow dock
horned, red, red dock, ruby dock
erect, branched distal to middle, 40–100(–150) cm.
branched from base or near base, occasionally simple, slender, 5–50 cm.
ocrea deciduous, rarely partially persistent at maturity;
blade lanceolate to narrowly lanceolate or lanceolate-linear, normally 15–30(–35) × 2–6 cm, base cuneate, truncate, or weakly cordate, margins entire to subentire, strongly crisped and undulate, apex acute.
ocrea deciduous or partially persistent;
blade spatulate, lanceolate, or ovate-lanceolate, 1–5(–8) × (0.5–)1–2.5 cm, base cuneate, rarely rounded, margins normally entire, flat, apex obtuse.
terminal, occupying distal 1/2 of stem, dense or interrupted at base, narrowly to broadly paniculate, branches usually straight or arcuate.
terminal, simple, racemose, occupying most of stem, interrupted, linear.
articulated in proximal 1/3, filiform, (3–)4–8 mm, articulation distinctly swollen.
usually distinctly heteromorphic (much thickened distally), 4–7(–10) mm;
others less than 4 mm.
10–25 in whorls;
inner tepals orbiculate-ovate or ovate-deltoid, 3.5–6 × 3–5 mm, base truncate or subcordate, margins entire or subentire to very weakly erose, flat, apex obtuse or subacute;
tubercles normally 3, rarely 1 or 2, unequal, at least 1 distinctly larger, more than (1–)1.5 mm wide.
2–3(–4) in lax clusters (reduced whorls);
inner tepals variable, often heteromorphic, triangular, narrowly triangular, ligulate, or ovate-oblong, (1.5–)2–4(–5) × (0.5–)1–3 mm (excluding teeth), base truncate, margins usually dentate, sometimes entire, apex obtuse or acute, usually not hooked, teeth 2–4(–8), at each side of margins, slender, straight or hooked, 0.3–1 mm;
tubercles absent, or 3, usually represented by minute swellings barely recognizable as tubercles.
usually reddish brown, 2–3 × 1.5–2 mm.
brown to dark brown, 1.3–2.3 × 0.7–1.4 mm.
= 60.
= 16.
Rumex crispus
Rumex bucephalophorus
Rumex crispus (belonging to subsect. Crispi Rechinger f.; see K. H. Rechinger 1937) is the most widespread and ecologically successful species of the genus, occuring almost worldwide as a completely naturalized and sometimes invasive alien. It has not been reported from Greenland, but it probably occurs there.
Rumex crispus hybridizes with many other species of subg. Rumex. Hybrids with R. obtusifolius (Rumex ×pratensis Mertens & Koch) are the most common in the genus, at least in Europe, and have been reported for several localities in North America. Rumex crispus × R. patientia (Rumex ×confusus Simonkai) was reported from New York. According to R. S. Mitchell (1986, p. 47), “this hybrid is now spreading along highway shoulders, and it has replaced R. crispus in some local areas.” However, that information should be confirmed by more detailed studies since spontaneous hybrids between species of sect. Rumex usually are much less fertile and ecologically successful than the parental species. Hybrids of Rumex occuring in North America need careful revision.
Numerous infraspecific taxa and even segregate species have been described in the Rumex crispus aggregate. Many seem to represent minor variation of little or no taxonomic significance, but some are geographically delimited entities that may deserve recognition as subspecies or varieties. The typical variety has inner tepals with three well-developed tubercles; the less common var. unicallosus Petermann, with one tubercle, occurs sporadically in North America.
Some eastern Asian plants differ from typical Rumex crispus is having somewhat smaller inner tepals, longer pedicels, lax inflorescences with remote whorls, and narrower leaves that are almost flat or indistinctly undulate at the margins. These plants, originally described as R. fauriei Rechinger f., are now treated as R. crispus subsp. fauriei (Rechinger f.) Mosyakin & W. L. Wagner; the subspecies was recently reported from Hawaii (S. L. Mosyakin and W. L. Wagner 1998) and may be expected as introduced in western North America.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Rumex bucephalophorus is a polymorphic species, especially within its native range. K. H. Rechinger (1939, 1964) and J. R. Press (1988) recognized several subspecies, but no attempt has been made to distinguish infraspecific taxa among the limited North American materials. This species occurs in the flora area as an uncommon, casual alien. It has the potential to naturalize in the southern United States, especially in coastal regions from the Carolinas to Texas, and in California.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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WA - Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos,
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MI Flora, 
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MO Plants, 
PNW Herbaria, 
SW CO Wildflowers, Turner Photog. 
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