Rumex venosus
Rumex occidentalis
veiny dock, wild begonia, wing dock
rumex occidental, western dock, western dock o n
ascending or, rarely, erect, usually producing axillary shoots near base, (10–)15–30(–40) cm.
usually erect, branched from above middle or in distal 2/3, 50–100(–140) cm.
blades ovate-elliptic, obovate-elliptic, or ovate-lanceolate, (2–)4–12(–15) × 1–5(–6) cm, subcoriaceous, base narrowly to broadly cuneate, margins entire, flat or slightly undulate, apex acute or acuminate.
ocrea deciduous or partially persistent at maturity;
blade narrowly ovate-triangular, ovate-lanceolate, or oblong-lanceolate, normally 10–35 × 5–12 cm, base weakly to distinctly cordate, truncate, or rounded, margins entire, undulate or indistinctly crisped, apex acute or subacute, rarely obtuse.
terminal and axillary, usually occupying distal 2/3 of stem/shoot, usually dense, or interrupted in proximal part, broadly paniculate.
terminal, occupying distal 2/3 of stem, dense to interrupted, narrowly paniculate, often repeatedly branched (branches usually more than 7–8 cm).
articulated near middle, filiform or slightly thickened, (8–)10–16 mm, articulation distinct, slightly swollen.
articulated in proximal 1/3, filiform, 5–13(–17) mm, normally not more than 2–2.5 times as long as inner tepals, articulation weakly evident, not swollen.
5–15 in whorls;
inner tepals distinctly double-reticulately veined, orbiculate or reniform-orbiculate, 13–18(–20) × (20–)23–30 mm, base deeply emarginate or cordate, margins entire, apex rounded, obtuse, rarely subacute, with short, broadly triangular tip;
tubercles absent, occasionally very small.
mostly 12–25 in whorls;
inner tepals orbiculate, ovate, or broadly ovate-triangular, 5–10(–12) × 5–8(–11) mm, base truncate to weakly cordate, margins entire or subentire to very weakly erose, apex obtuse or subacute;
tubercles absent.
brown or dark brown, 5–7 × 4–6 mm.
reddish brown, 3–4.5(–4.8) × 1.5–2.5 mm.
= 40.
= 120.
Rumex venosus
Rumex occidentalis
Rumex venosus is a distinctive species rarely confused with any other members of the genus. However, I have seen herbarium specimens of it misidentified as R. hymenosepalus, and vice versa.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
In the nineteenth century, Rumex occidentalis commonly was misidentified as R. aquaticus, R. longifolius, or R. domesticus.
All of the species of subsect. Aquatici Rechinger f., represented in North America by Rumex occidentalis, R. arcticus, R. nematopodus, and R. tomentellus, form a taxonomically complex aggregate with poorly delimited, often intergrading species. Extremes are evidently distinct (e.g., R. arcticus and R. tomentellus). The taxonomy and distribution of members of this aggregate are still insufficiently known. Some authors prefer to treat all or most of these taxa as subspecies or varieties of R. aquaticus in the broad sense. From my point of view, this does not promote a better understanding of their variability and relationships.
A number of segregate species have been described and recognized in regional floras in North America. In most cases the features upon which these species are based intergrade. One of the most widely recognized segregates is Rumex fenestratus Greene emend. Rechinger f. [R. aquaticus subsp. fenestratus (Greene) Hultén, R. occidentalis S. Watson subsp. fenestratus (Greene) Hultén], which, according to K. H. Rechinger (1937), may be distinguished mostly by larger and more cordate fruiting inner tepals (more than 7 mm in R. fenestratus, usually less than 7 mm in R. occidentalis), and larger achenes (3 mm, and more than 3.5 mm, respectively). The morphotype of R. fenestratus occurs mostly along the Pacific coast from central western California to Alaska. Plants with large fruiting inner tepals [known as R. fenestratus var. labradoricus Rechinger f. or R. occidentalis var. labradoricus (Rechinger f.) Lepage] occur also in eastern Canada (Newfoundland and Quebec). In this treatment, I follow the taxonomic decision by J. E. Dawson (1979), who carefully analyzed the clinal variability of the R. occidentalis aggregate. However, R. fenestratus probably deserves recognition at least as a subspecies of R. occidentalis, but its taxonomic status needs additional investigation.
Rumex occidentalis was reported also from New Brunswick (which seems to be a rather natural extension of its range); however, the present status of the species in that province is uncertain.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
- Local floras:
CA, 
OR, 
WA - Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos,
Flora NW, 
KS Wildflowers, 
MN Wildflowers, 
PNW Herbaria, Turner Photog. 
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist (observations)
USDA Plants Database- LBJ Wildflower Center
- SEINet
- Plants of the World Online
- Encyclopedia of Life
- Wikipedia
- Google Image Search
- Local floras:
BC, CA, OR, WA - Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos, Flora NW,
Go Botany, MN Wildflowers, PNW Herbaria, Turner Photog. - WildflowerSearch
- iNaturalist (observations)
- USDA Plants Database
- LBJ Wildflower Center
- SEINet
- Plants of the World Online
- Encyclopedia of Life
- Wikipedia
- Google Image Search
