Rumex

Rumex
Patience dock
(Rumex patientia)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
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]
  • Acetosa Tourn. ex Mill.
  • Acetosella (Meisn.) Fourr.
  • Analiton Raf.
  • Atecosa Raf.
  • Bucephalophora Pau
  • Centopodium Burch.
  • Emex Neck. ex Campd.
  • Eutralia Raf.
  • Lapathon Raf.
  • Lapathum Mill.
  • Menophyla Raf.
  • Nemolapathum Ehrh.
  • Oxylapathon St.-Lag.
  • Rhodoptera Raf.
  • Steinmannia Opiz
  • Tomaris Raf.
  • Vibo Medik.
  • Vibones Raf.

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 dispar and Lycaena rubidus.[3]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference POWO_328551-2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  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.