Rumex maritimus
Rumex ellipticus
bristle dock, golden dock, maritime dock, rumex maritime
elliptic tall dock
erect (some dwarf alluvial forms may be ascending or almost prostrate), branched in distal 2/3, occasionally almost near base, (5–)15–75(–100) cm.
ascending or decumbent, usually producing axillary shoots below 1st-order inflorescence or at proximal nodes, 40–70 cm.
ocrea deciduous to partially persistent at maturity;
blade lanceolate or lanceolate-linear, rarely oblong-lanceolate, usually very gradually narrowed at both ends, (4–)7–25(–40) × (1–)1.5–4(–5) cm, at least 4 times as long as wide, base narrowly cuneate, very rarely broadly cuneate, margins entire, flat or rarely weakly undulate, apex acute, very rarely subobtuse.
blades lanceolate or broadly lanceolate, 5–10(–15) × 2–3(–4) cm, usually ca. 3–4 times as long as wide, widest in proximal 1/2, rarely near middle, thick, often subcoriaceous, base cuneate, margins entire, flat, apex acute or attenuate.
terminal, occupying distal 1/2 of stem, occasionally most of stem, golden or greenish yellow, usually rather dense or interrupted in proximal part, broadly paniculate, branches spreading.
terminal and axillary, terminal usually occupying distal 1/5–1/3 of stem, rather dense or interrupted in proximal 1/2, usually narrowly paniculate (branches simple and comparatively short).
articulated near base or at least in proximal 1/3, filiform, 3–8 mm, articulation weakly evident.
articulated in proximal 1/2 almost near base, thickish, 3–6(–7) mm, usually approximately as long as or slightly shorter than inner tepals, articulation indistinctly swollen.
15–30 (occasionally more) in rather dense whorls;
inner tepals narrowly triangular or narrowly rhombic-triangular, 2.5–3(–3.5) × 0.75–1.2(–1.5) mm (excluding teeth), normally ca. 2 times as long as wide, base truncate or broadly cuneate, margins prominently dentate, apex acute, very rarely subacute, straight, teeth 2–3(–4), normally at each side of margins, subulate-filiform, bristlelike, 1–3.5 mm, usually 1.5–2 times as long as width of inner tepals;
tubercles 3, equal or subequal, apex acute or subacute, smooth.
12–20 in whorls;
inner tepals ovate or cordate-triangular, occasionally almost orbiculate, 5–6 × 4–5 mm, base truncate or indistinctly cordate, margins entire, apex obtuse or subacute;
tubercles absent or 1 inner tepal with indistinctly swollen midvein.
light brown, small, 0.9–1.75 × 0.6–1 mm.
brown, 2.7–3.2 × 1.8–2.5 mm.
= 40.
= 20.
Rumex maritimus
Rumex ellipticus
This Eurasian species is known as a casual alien from several localities in North America. Its distribution is poorly known due to confusion with native American species of this aggregate. Plants from Alaska and Yukon reported by E. Hultén (1968) as Rumex maritimus need additional study; they may be conspecific with some eastern Asian races of the R. maritimus aggregate. It is rare or almost absent in eastern Asia, where it is replaced by closely related taxa.
Species of the Rumex maritimus aggregate can be placed in a separate subsection Maritimi Rechinger f. (K. H. Rechinger 1937) or even section Orientales A. I. Baranov & B. V. Skvortzov (see A. E. Borodina 1977).
In addition to characters mentioned in the key and descriptions, additional distinctive features of Rumex maritimus are the smooth tubercles (occasionally finely striate or indistinctly pitted in herbarium specimens), and golden yellow or greenish yellow mature inflorescences.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Rumex ellipticus is closely related to R. altissimus and is sometimes regarded as a subspecies of it (Á. Löve 1986).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
CA
OR
WA
Flora NW
Go Botany
PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
