Rumex conglomerates Murr.   Polygonaceae (Buckwheat Family)   Europe   Green Dock   Whorled Dock

                                             June Photo

Plant Characteristics:  Perennial with taproot; stems smoothish, rather slender, 8-15 dm. high; lower lvs. oblong to lance-oblong, cordate at base, 1-2 dm. long, long-petioled, slightly crisped, obtuse, the upper reduced; panicle leafy, lax, 1-5 dm. long, long-petioled, the branches interrupted-spicate, subsimple, 1-3 dm. long; pedicels ca. 4 mm. long, stoutish, geniculate and jointed near base; valves 2.5-3 mm. long, oblong, obtuse, entire, each with a large smooth callosity; aks. ca. 2 mm. long.

Habitat:  Low moist places, cismontane valleys at low elevations; Catalina Id.  April-Oct.

Name:  Rumex, is the ancient Latin name for the docks or sorrels.  (Dale 159).  Latin, con, prefix meaning with and glomeris, round body.  (Jaeger 64,111).  Probably referring to the interrupted panicle or maybe the aks.

General:  Occasional in the study area, having been found only a few times and this along the road between Big Canyon and the north end of Eastbluff.   Photographed in this area.  Also found in the Newporter Canyon in 1992.  In 2005, the species was found in two locations in upper Big Canyon.  (my comments).      Dock is in the same family as rhubarb.  The root is a source of yellow dye.  The juice has a cooling effect on stings.  (lecture by Charlotte Clarke, author of Edible and Useful Plants of California, April 1987.      Rumex species have been known to cause hay fever and asthma.  They have also been known to accumulate free nitrates and soluble oxalates in quantities capable of causing death or distress in cattle.  Animals usually will not eat them. (Fuller 210,381,386).      The Miwok Indians of central California cooked and ate the leaves of this non-native plant.  (Campbell 140).     About 140 species, widely distributed.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 705).      About 24 species in California.  (Fuller 210).

Text Ref:  Munz, Flora So. Calif. 706; Robbins et al. 139; Roberts 34.

Photo Ref:  May-June 86 # 12,13,14; April-May 92 # 30.

Identity: by R. De Ruff, confirmed by F. Roberts.

First Found:  May 1986.

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 260.

Have plant specimen.

Last edit 5/13/05.

                                             April Photo