Rumex spiralis |
Rumex alpinus |
|
---|---|---|
spiral tall dock, wing dock |
alpine dock, butter dock, monk's-rhubarb, munk's rhubarb |
|
Habit | Plants perennial, glabrous, with creeping rhizomes. | Plants perennial, glabrous or minutely papillose-pubescent, with stout, creeping rhizome. |
Stems | ascending or erect, usually producing axillary shoots below 1st-order inflorescence or at proximal nodes, 50–90 cm. |
erect, branched above middle, 60–100 cm. |
Leaves | 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. |
ocrea mostly deciduous or sometimes partially persistent at maturity; blade usually ovate-orbiculate, sometimes orbiculate or broadly ovate, 20–40 × 20–35 cm, base deeply and widely cordate, margins entire, flat or slightly undulate, apex obtuse. |
Inflorescences | terminal and axillary, terminal usually occupying distal 1/2 of stem, dense, narrowly to broadly paniculate (branches usually simple). |
terminal, occupying distal 1/2 of stem, rather dense, widely paniculate to fusiform. |
Pedicels | 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. |
articulated at middle or in proximal 1/3, filiform, 3–9 mm, articulation distinctly swollen. |
Flowers | 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. |
10–20 in whorls; inner tepals ovate or ovate-triangular, 4–5(–6) × 3–5 mm, base truncate or slightly cordate, margins entire or subentire, apex obtuse or subobtuse; tubercles absent. |
Achenes | brown or dark reddish brown, 2.5–3.5 × 2–2.5 mm. |
brown to brownish green, 2.5–3.5 × 1–2 mm. |
2n | = 20. |
= 20. |
Rumex spiralis |
Rumex alpinus |
|
Phenology | Flowering spring. | Flowering late spring–summer. |
Habitat | Sandy and gravelly shores | Waste places: roadsides, old fields and gardens, disturbed meadows |
Elevation | 0-200 m (0-700 ft) | 0-1500 m (0-4900 ft) |
Distribution |
TX |
ME; VT; NS; c Europe; s Europe; w Asia [Introduced in North America] |
Discussion | 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.) |
Rumex alpinus belongs to subsect. Alpini Rechinger f. The name R. alpinus has been proposed for nomenclatural conservation (S. Cafferty and S. Snogerup 2000). This species was first reported from North America in Nova Scotia (M. L. Fernald 1921; K. H. Rechinger 1937). It remains uncommon in the United States and Canada. Rumex alpinus never has been reported as being a serious invasive weed; however, it may persist at a site for a very long time. Previously, the species was cultivated widely, mostly for medicinal and veterinary purposes. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 5, p. 507. | FNA vol. 5, p. 517. |
Parent taxa | ||
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Small: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 22: 44, plate 228. (1895) | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 334. (1753) |
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