Rumex maritimus
Rumex hesperius
bristle dock, golden dock, maritime dock, rumex maritime
western willow 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.
usually ascending, usually producing axillary shoots below 1st-order inflorescence or at proximal nodes, 30–50(–60) 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 light or yellowish green, veins scarcely prominent abaxially, elliptic-lanceolate, occasionally lanceolate, 6–12 × (2–)3–6 cm, usually (2–)3(–5) times as long as wide, widest near middle, thin, not coriaceous, base cuneate, margins entire, undulate, apex acute, warty in appearance.
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, dense or interrupted near base, usually broadly paniculate (branches simple or with few 2d-order branches).
articulated near base or at least in proximal 1/3, filiform, 3–8 mm, articulation weakly evident.
articulated in proximal 1/3, filiform (but thickened distally), 3–6 mm, not more than 2–2.5 times as long as 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.
10–20 in whorls;
inner tepals, triangular, broadly triangular, or deltoid, 3–4 × 3.5–4(–5) mm, base truncate, margins entire, apex acute or subacute;
tubercle 1, small, narrow, much narrower than inner tepals, smooth to weakly rugose.
light brown, small, 0.9–1.75 × 0.6–1 mm.
not seen.
= 40.
= 20.
Rumex maritimus
Rumex hesperius
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 hesperius is a little-known species reported only from a localized area in Washington. According to N. M. Sarkar (1958) it is “quite distinct from other species” in its general appearance—a small plant with large, broad leaves and compact inflorescences.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
CA
OR
WA
Flora NW
Go Botany
PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
