Rumex

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Rumex
Rumex X patientia Sturm55.jpg
Patience dock
( Rumex patientia )
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Polygonaceae
Subfamily: Polygonoideae
Genus: Rumex
L. 1753
Type species
Rumex patientia
L.
Species

About 200, see text

Synonyms [1]
  • AcetosaTourn. ex Mill.
  • Acetosella(Meisn.) Fourr.
  • AnalitonRaf.
  • AtecosaRaf.
  • BucephalophoraPau
  • CentopodiumBurch.
  • EmexNeck. ex Campd.
  • EutraliaRaf.
  • LapathonRaf.
  • LapathumMill.
  • MenophylaRaf.
  • NemolapathumEhrh.
  • OxylapathonSt.-Lag.
  • RhodopteraRaf.
  • SteinmanniaOpiz
  • TomarisRaf.
  • ViboMedik.
  • VibonesRaf.

The docks and sorrels, genus Rumex, are a genus of about 200 species of annual, biennial, and perennial herbs in the buckwheat family, Polygonaceae. Members of this genus are very common perennial herbs with a native almost worldwide distribution, and introduced species growing in the few places where the genus is not native. [1]

Some are nuisance weeds (and are sometimes called dockweed or dock weed), but some are grown for their edible leaves. [2] Rumex species are used as food plants by the larvae of a number of Lepidoptera species, and are the only host plants of Lycaena rubidus. [3]

Description

They are erect plants, usually with long taproots. The fleshy to leathery leaves form a basal rosette at the root. The basal leaves may be different from those near the inflorescence. They may or may not have stipules. Minor leaf veins occur. The leaf blade margins are entire or crenate.

The usually inconspicuous flowers are carried above the leaves in clusters. The fertile flowers are mostly hermaphrodites, or they may be functionally male or female. The flowers and seeds grow on long clusters at the top of a stalk emerging from the basal rosette; in many species, the flowers are green, but in some (such as sheep's sorrel, Rumex acetosella ) the flowers and their stems may be brick-red. Each seed is a three-sided achene, often with a round tubercle on one or all three sides.

Taxonomy

The genus was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. Within the family Polygonaceae, it is placed in the subfamily Polygonoideae. The genus Emex was separated from Rumex by Francisco Campderá in 1819 on the basis that it was polygamous (i.e. had both bisexual and unisexual flowers on the same plant). However, some species of Rumex subg. Acetosa also have this characteristic, and most other features that are supposed to distinguish Emex are found in species of Rumex. Accordingly, in 2015, Schuster et al. demoted Emex to a subgenus of Rumex. [4]

Within the subfamily Polygonoideae, Rumex is placed in the tribe Rumiceae, along with the two genera Oxyria and Rheum . It is most closely related to Rheum, which includes Rhubarb. [4]

Rumiceae

Oxyria

Rumex

Rheum

Species

Rumex nervosus in Ethiopia Rumex nervosus.jpg
Rumex nervosus in Ethiopia

As of June 2022, Plants of the World Online accepted the following species. A large number of hybrids are also recorded. [1]

Flowers of curled dock (R. crispus) with remarkable tubercles RumexCrispusValven.jpg
Flowers of curled dock (R. crispus) with remarkable tubercles
Broad-leaved dock leaves (R. obtusifolius) Rumex-obtusifolius-foliage.JPG
Broad-leaved dock leaves (R. obtusifolius)

Uses

These plants have many uses. Broad-leaved dock ( Rumex obtusifolius ) used to be called butter dock because its large leaves were used to wrap and conserve butter.

Rumex hymenosepalus has been cultivated in the Southwestern US as a source of tannin (roots contain up to 25%), for use in leather tanning, while leaves and stems are used for a mordant-free mustard-colored dye.

These plants are edible. The leaves of most species contain oxalic acid and tannin, and many have astringent and slightly purgative qualities. Some species with particularly high levels of oxalic acid are called sorrels (including sheep's sorrel Rumex acetosella , common sorrel Rumex acetosa , and French sorrel Rumex scutatus ), and some of these are grown as leaf vegetables or garden herbs for their acidic taste. [5] [6]

In the United Kingdom, Rumex obtusifolius is often found growing near stinging nettles, owing to both species favouring a similar environment, and there is a widely held belief that the underside of the dock leaf, squeezed to extract a little juice, can be rubbed on the skin to counteract the itching caused by brushing against a nettle plant. [7] This home remedy is not supported by any science, although it is possible that the act of rubbing may act as a distracting counterstimulation, or that belief in the dock's effect may provide a placebo effect. [8]

In traditional Austrian medicine, R. alpinus leaves and roots have been used internally for treatment of viral infections. [9]

Rumex nepalensis is also has a variety of medicinal uses in the Greater Himalayas, including Sikkim in Northeastern India. [10]

Fossil record

Several fossil fruits of Rumex sp. have been described from middle Miocene strata of the Fasterholt area near Silkeborg in Central Jutland, Denmark. [11]

One fossil fruit of a Rumex species has been extracted from a borehole sample of the Middle Miocene fresh water deposits in Nowy Sacz Basin, West Carpathians, Poland. This fossil fruit is similar to the fruits of the extant species Rumex maritimus and Rumex ucranicus which both have fossil records from the Pliocene and Pleistocene of Europe. [12]

Nutrition

Dock, raw (Rumex spp.)
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 92 kJ (22 kcal)
3.2 g
Dietary fiber 2.9 g
Fat
0.7 g
2 g
Vitamins Quantity
%DV†
Vitamin A equiv.
22%
200 μg
Thiamine (B1)
3%
0.04 mg
Riboflavin (B2)
8%
0.1 mg
Niacin (B3)
3%
0.5 mg
Vitamin B6
7%
0.122 mg
Folate (B9)
3%
13 μg
Vitamin C
53%
48 mg
Minerals Quantity
%DV†
Calcium
3%
44 mg
Iron
13%
2.4 mg
Magnesium
25%
103 mg
Manganese
15%
0.349 mg
Phosphorus
5%
63 mg
Potassium
13%
390 mg
Zinc
2%
0.2 mg
Link to USDA Database entry
†Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults, [13] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies. [14]

Nutrition information is shown in the infobox on the right.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polygonaceae</span> Knotweed family of flowering plants

The Polygonaceae are a family of flowering plants known informally as the knotweed family or smartweed—buckwheat family in the United States. The name is based on the genus Polygonum, and was first used by Antoine Laurent de Jussieu in 1789 in his book, Genera Plantarum. The name may refer to the many swollen nodes the stems of some species have, being derived from Greek [poly meaning 'many' and gony meaning 'knee' or 'joint']. Alternatively, it may have a different origin, meaning 'many seeds'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sorrel</span> Flowering plant in the family Polygonaceae

Sorrel, also called common sorrel or garden sorrel, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Polygonaceae. Other names for sorrel include spinach dock and narrow-leaved dock.

<i>Oxalis</i> Genus of flowering plants

Oxalis is a large genus of flowering plants in the wood-sorrel family Oxalidaceae, comprising over 550 species. The genus occurs throughout most of the world, except for the polar areas; species diversity is particularly rich in tropical Brazil, Mexico, and South Africa.

<i>Rumex obtusifolius</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Polygonaceae

Rumex obtusifolius, commonly known as bitter dock, broad-leaved dock, bluntleaf dock, dock leaf, dockens or butter dock, is a perennial plant in the family Polygonaceae. It is native to Europe, but is found on all temperate continents. It is a highly invasive species in some zones, resulting from its abundant seed dispersal, adaptability to reproduce, aggressive roots, ability to tolerate extreme climates, and hardiness.

<i>Rumex acetosella</i> Species of flowering plant

Rumex acetosella, commonly known as red sorrel, sheep's sorrel, field sorrel and sour weed, is a species of flowering plant in the buckwheat family Polygonaceae. Native to Eurasia and the British Isles, the plant and its subspecies are common perennial weeds. It has green arrowhead-shaped leaves and red-tinted deeply ridged stems, and it sprouts from an aggressive and spreading rhizome. The flowers emerge from a tall, upright stem. Female flowers are maroon in color.

<i>Rumex spinosus</i> Species of flowering plant

Rumex spinosus, commonly known as devil's thorn, spiny dock, or lesser jack, is an annual herbaceous plant of the Polygonaceae. It originates in the warmer parts of the old world, but now has spread with humans to other places. It is common in disturbed areas, especially in sandy soils. It has shown some weedy behaviour in restricted areas within southern Australia.

<i>Pteropyrum</i> Genus of flowering plants

Pteropyrum is a genus of plants in the family Polygonaceae. Plants of the World Online accepts two species, native to Iran, Oman and the Gulf States.

<i>Oxygonum</i> Genus of flowering plants

Oxygonum is a genus of plants in the family Polygonaceae with about 30 species. It is native to eastern parts of Africa and to the Arabian Peninsula.

<i>Koenigia</i> Genus of flowering plants in the knotweed family Polygonaceae

Koenigia is a genus of plants in the family Polygonaceae. The genus Aconogonon has been merged into Koenigia.

<i>Calligonum</i> Genus of flowering plants

Calligonum is a genus of plants in the family Polygonaceae with about 80 species across the Mediterranean Sea region, Asia and North America.

<i>Atraphaxis</i> Genus of flowering plants

Atraphaxis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Polygonaceae with about 40 species.

<i>Enteucha acetosae</i> Species of moth

Enteucha acetosae, the pygmy sorrel moth, is a moth of the family Nepticulidae found in Europe. It is one of the smallest moths in the world with some having a wingspan of only 3mm. The larvae mine the leaves of docks, leaving bright red tissue around the mines.

<i>Bistorta</i> Genus of flowering plants in the knotweed family, Polygonaceae

Bistorta is a genus of flowering plants in the family Polygonaceae. As of February 2019 about 40 species are accepted. It has been supported as a separate clade by molecular phylogenetic analysis. Bistorta species are native throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere, as far south as Mexico in North America and Thailand in Asia.

<i>Calybites phasianipennella</i> Species of moth

Calybites phasianipennella is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is known from all of Europe and most of Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polygonoideae</span> Subfamily of the knotweed family of plants (Polygonaceae)

Polygonoideae is a subfamily of plants in the family Polygonaceae. It includes a number of plants that can be highly invasive, such as Japanese knotweed, Reynoutria japonica, and its hybrid with R. sachalinensis, R. × bohemica. Boundaries between the genera placed in the subfamily and their relationships have long been problematic, but a series of molecular phylogenetic studies have clarified some of them, resulting in the division of the subfamily into seven tribes.

<i>Rumex sanguineus</i> Species of flowering plant

Rumex sanguineus, commonly known as wood dock, bloody dock or red-veined dock, is a perennial flowering plant species in the family Polygonaceae. Rumex sanguineus is a dicot and can be observed in Europe with at least two varieties.

<i>Rumex hastatulus</i> Species of flowering plant

Rumex hastatulus, commonly known as the heartwing sorrel, is an annual flowering plant species in the family Polygonaceae otherwise known as the buckwheat family. It is found spread out through the eastern and southern United States.

Rumex lapponicus, known commonly as Lapland mountain sorrel is a perennial flowering herb species in the family Polygonaceae. It is commonly found in meadows and rock outcrops, as well as montane, arenicolous, and alluvial habitats.

Cream of sorrel soup, also known as potage Germiny, crème Germiny, or potage crème d'oseille, is a traditional French springtime vegetable soup, often served cold. It can be made with French sorrel, common sorrel, or with foraged wild greens with similar flavor profiles, such as sheep sorrel (Rumex acetosella), wood sorrel (Oxalis corniculata, Oxalis albicans), sour grass, or young leaves of dock, etc.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "RumexL.". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2022-06-22.
  2. ↑ Martin, Alexander C. (1972). Weeds . New York: Golden Press. p.  38. ISBN   0-307-24353-2.
  3. ↑ Warren, Andres; Harrera, Alfonso (15 March 2005). "Butterflies of Oregon Their Taxonomy, Distribution, and Biology" (PDF). Lepidoptera of North America. 6.
  4. 1 2 Schuster, Tanja M.; Reveal, James L.; Bayly, Michael J. & Kron, Kathleen A. (2015). "An updated molecular phylogeny of Polygonoideae (Polygonaceae): Relationships of Oxygonum, Pteroxygonum, and Rumex, and a new circumscription of Koenigia". Taxon. 64 (6): 1188–1208. doi:10.12705/646.5.
  5. ↑ "Sorrel, Garden or Common [Rumex acetosa]". Botanical.com.
  6. ↑ Łuczaj, Łukasz (2008). "Archival data on wild food plants used in Poland in 1948". Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. 4 (1): 4. doi: 10.1186/1746-4269-4-4 . PMC   2275233 . PMID   18218132.
  7. ↑ "Recorded uses of' dock (Rumex sp.)". Ethnomedica. Archived from the original on 2008-11-20. Retrieved 2008-04-15.[ verification needed ]
  8. ↑ Hopcroft, Keith (10 September 2005). "Home remedies: dock leaves for nettle stings" . Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  9. ↑ Vogl, S; Picker, P; Mihaly-Bison, J; Fakhrudin, N; et al. (2013). "Ethnopharmacological in vitro studieson Austria's folk medicine-An unexplored lore in vitro anti-inflammatory activities of 71 Austrian traditional herbal drugs". J Ethnopharmacol. 149 (3): 750–71. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2013.06.007. PMC   3791396 . PMID   23770053.
  10. ↑ O'Neill, Alexander R.; Badola, Hemant K.; Dhyani, Pitamber P.; Rana, Santosh K. (29 March 2017). "Integrating ethnobiological knowledge into biodiversity conservation in the Eastern Himalayas". Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. 13 (21): 21. doi: 10.1186/s13002-017-0148-9 . PMC   5372287 . PMID   28356115.
  11. ↑ Friis, Else Marie (1985). "Angiosperm Fruits and Seeds from the Middle Miocene of Jutland (Denmark)". The Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters. 24 (3).
  12. ↑ Macroscopic plant remains from the freshwater Miocene of the Nowy Sącz Basin (West Carpathians, Poland) by Maria Łańcucka-Środoniowa, Acta Palaeobotanica 1979 20 (1): 3-117.
  13. ↑ United States Food and Drug Administration (2024). "Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels" . Retrieved 2024-03-28.
  14. ↑ National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Food and Nutrition Board; Committee to Review the Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium (2019). Oria, Maria; Harrison, Meghan; Stallings, Virginia A. (eds.). Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. The National Academies Collection: Reports funded by National Institutes of Health. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US). ISBN   978-0-309-48834-1. PMID   30844154.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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