POLYGONACE^) BUCKWHEAT FAMILY 



Rumex Acetosella, L. 



Green or brown-red Sheep Sorrel, Gentleman 1 's-sorrel, 



Field Sorrel, Red Weed, 



May-September Sour Dock, Wood Sorrel, 



Sharp Dock, Red Sorrel, 

 Mountain Sorrel, Redtop Sorrel, 



Horse Sorrel, Sour Weed, 



Cow Sorrel, Sour-grass. 

 Toad Sorrel, 



Rumex: the ancient Latin name. 

 Acetosella: from Latin, signifying a little sour. 



THE PREFERRED HABITAT: dry, sterile soil everywhere. 



THE PLANT: six inches to twelve inches high, very variable 

 in colour, growing darker with sterility of the soil; the 

 stem slender, simple or branched; the sheaths silvery, 

 early becoming ragged. 



THE LEAVES: alternate; the uppermost lanceolate or linear, 

 usually widest above the middle, the lower halberd-form; 

 hairless; obtuse or acute at the apex; on stems; the lobes 

 at the base entire or one or two toothed. 



THE FLOWERS: small, in erect, panicled racemes; six 

 sepals, the outer three herbaceous, the three inner larger 

 and somewhat colored. 



THE FRUIT: achenes. 



Both the ground leaves, light green and notched, and 

 the tiny flowers, dark red and numerous, on the top 

 branches of a tall red stem are familiarly known, but not 

 always thought of as belonging together. The young 

 leaves are good to eat and the deep red flowers colour the 



72 



