GENUS 3. 



BUCKWHEAT FAMILY. 



657 



ii. Rumex occidentalis S. Wats. Western 

 Dock. Fig. 1607. 



R. occidentalis S. Wats. Proc. Am. Acad. 12 : 253. 1876. 



Perennial, glabrous, stem stout, strict, erect or 

 nearly so, strongly grooved, simple or sparingly 

 branched, 2-3 high. Leaves lanceolate or ovate- 

 lanceolate, bluish-green, somewhat crisped and 

 wavy-margined, papillose, the lower 8'-i2' long, 

 obtuse or subacute at the apex, more or less cordate 

 at the base, long-petioled, the upper smaller and 

 usually lanceolate; panicle rather dense, leafless or 

 nearly so, erect; racemes usually not interrupted; 

 flowers loosely whorled; calyx pale green, i" long; 

 pedicels obscurely jointed below the middle, 2-3 

 times longer than the calyx-wings ; wings triangu- 

 lar-ovate, 2 "-4" long, somewhat dentate or un- 

 dulate, bearing no tubercles ; achene oblong, 2"-2z" 

 long, short-pointed, chestnut-brown, smooth, shining. 



In wet places, Labrador to Alaska, Ontario, Maine 

 and in the Rocky Mountains to Texas and to California. 

 May- Aug. 



12. Rumex crispus L. Curled or Narrow Dock. Fig. 1608. 



Rumex crispus L. Sp. PL 335. 1753. 



fRumex elongatus Guss. PI. Rar. Neap. 150. 1826. 



Perennial, glabrous, dark green ; stem rather 

 slender, erect, simple or branched above, grooved, 

 i-32 tall. Leaves crisped and wavy-margined, 

 the lower oblong or oblong-lanceolate, 6'-i2' long, 

 long-petioled, the upper narrowly oblong or lan- 

 ceolate, 3 '-6' long, short-petioled, all cordate or 

 obtuse at the base, more or less papillose ; panicle 

 rather open ; racemes simple or compound, by the 

 elongation of the pedicels apparently continuous 

 in fruit ; flowers rather loosely whorled ; calyx dark 

 green; fruiting pedicels 12-2 times as long as the 

 calyx-wings, jointed near the base; wings cordate, 

 i\"-2." long, truncate or notched at base, erose- 

 dentat'e, or nearly entire, each bearing a tubercle ;. 

 achene i" long, dark brown, shining. 



In fields and waste places nearly throughout the United 

 States and southern British America. Often a trouble- 

 some weed. Sour or yellow dock. Also in the West 

 Indies and Mexico. Naturalized from Europe. Native 

 also of Asia. Hybridizes with R. obtiisifolius L. June- 

 Aug. 



13. Rumex conglomerates Murr. Clustered 

 or Smaller Green Dock. Fig. 1609. 



R. conglomeratus Murr. Prodr. Fl. Goett. 52. 1770. 



Perennial, glabrous, pale green; stern slender, 

 erect, simple or branched, grooved, i-3 tall. 

 Leaves ovate, oblong or lanceolate, i'-s' long, some 

 of them slightly fiddle-shaped, acute at the apex, 

 obtuse at the base, crenulate and slightly crisped 

 on the margins, petioled ; panicle loose and open in 

 fruit ; racemes leafy, slender, ascending, much in- 

 terrupted ; flowers loosely whorled ; calyx small, 

 green ; pedicels shorter than or equalling the calyx- 

 wings, jointed near the base; wings ovate, fiddle- 

 shaped, ii" long, toothed near the base, each bearing 

 a large oblong callosity; achene less than i" long, 

 pointed, red, smooth, its faces convex. 



In waste places, Virginia to South Carolina. Also in 

 California and Washington. Naturalized from Europe. 

 May-July. 



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