Rumex hymenosepalus
Rumex obovatus
Arizona dock, canaigre, canaigre dock, cañaigre dock, wild-rhubarb
obovate-leaf dock, tropical dock
usually erect, rarely ascending, branched above middle, 25–90(–100) cm.
erect, branched distal to middle or in distal 2/3, 20–40(–70) cm.
ocrea prominent and persistent at maturity, whitish or silvery white, membranous;
blade oblong, oblong-elliptic, or obovate-lanceolate, (5–)8–30 × 2–8(–12) cm, base cuneate or narrowly cuneate, margins entire, flat or indistinctly crisped, apex acute or acuminate, rarely obtuse.
ocrea deciduous or partially persistent at maturity;
blade usually distinctly obovate, widest distal to middle, rarely weakly panduriform, 4–7(–11) × 2–5 cm, less than 4 times as long as wide, coriaceous, base cuneate, rarely almost truncate, margins entire, flat, rarely slightly undulate, apex obtuse or rounded.
terminal, occupying distal 1/2 of stem, narrowly paniculate, rarely simple.
terminal, occupying distal 1/2 of stem, usually lax, occasionally rather dense, interrupted in basal 1/2, broadly paniculate, branches usually straight, unbranched, forming angle of 45° with 1st-order stem, leafy almost to top.
articulated near middle or in proximal 1/3, filiform, 5–15(–20) mm, articulation indistinct.
articulated in proximal 1/3, thickened, 3–5 mm, articulation distinctly swollen.
5–20 in whorls;
inner tepals oblong-cordate or orbiculate-cordate, 11–16 × 9.5–14 mm, base sinuate or emarginate, margins entire, rarely with few extremely small denticles at base, apex obtuse or subacute;
tubercles absent.
10–20 in rather dense whorls;
inner tepals ovate-triangular or triangular-deltoid, 4–5(–5.5) × 2.4–3 mm (excluding teeth), ca. 1.5 times as long as wide, base truncate, margins distinctly dentate, apex acute to subacute, straight, teeth 3–5, normally at each side of margins, narrowly triangular or subulate, straight, 0.4–2.5 mm, equaling or shorter than width of inner tepals;
tubercles usually 3, equal or subequal, apex obtuse, distinctly verrucose.
brown or reddish brown, 4–5(–7) × 2.5–4.5(–5) mm.
brown, 2.3–2.8(–3) × 1.4–1.8 mm.
= 40.
Rumex hymenosepalus
Rumex obovatus
Rumex hymenosepalus is the only species of subsect. Hymenosepali Rechinger f.
Two varieties have been recognized. The typical variety has achenes 5 mm and ovate-elliptic or oblong-cordate inner tepals with a subacute apex. Variety salinus (A. Nelson) Rechinger f. has larger achenes (to 7 mm) and almost orbiculate inner tepals with an obtuse apex.
Rumex hymenosepalus was reported also from Montana (J. E. Dawson 1979), but no exact localities were given.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Rumex obovatus is morphologically uniform. Individuals with panduriform leaves may be mistaken for R. pulcher, which is distinguished from R. obovatus by its less leathery leaves with subcordate to truncate (not distinctly cuneate) bases, usually more-spreading inflorescence branches, and perennial habit. Rumex obovatus was reported for Louisiana by J. W. Thieret (1969c), who followed determinations by K. H. Rechinger. It is known also from Florida and may be expected in adjacent coastal states. Thieret mentioned that one of his collections was made “within 150 feet of the Texas border.”
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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