300 SORREL. 



towards the top, and from one to two feet in height. The 

 leaves are alternate, oblong-sagittate, smooth on both sides, 

 undulated at the margin, and of a bright green colour ; the 

 lowermost are petiolate, obtuse, with two lobes at the base 

 turned backwards ; the upper are smaller, sessile, acute ; the 

 uppermost linear ; the whole subtended by membranous, whit- 

 ish, semitubular, scarious stipulae or ochreae. The flowers are 

 dioecious, produced in a long terminal naked raceme, com- 

 posed of spurious whorls, each flower on a short drooping 

 peduncle, with small concave amplexicaul bracteae at the base. 

 The male flowers have a calyx of three greenish, ovate, con- 

 cave, spreading segments ; a corolla of three ovate, obtuse, 

 greenish petals ; six stamens with very short filaments and 

 large erect double anthers. The female flowers have a calyx 

 resembling the male, which is ultimately re flexed ; three per- 

 sistent petals, which enlarge from an ovate to an orbicular- 

 cordate figure ; and a smooth somewhat triangular germen, 

 supporting three capillary spreading styles, terminated by 

 fringed purplish stigmas. The fruit is a pendulous, oblong- 

 triangular, smooth, shining, reddish nut, enveloped by the 

 enlarged, reticulate, purplish-red petals, sometimes called 

 valves, which at this period have a minute appendage or tu- 

 bercle at the base on the outer side, and a wavy margin clos- 

 ing on the nut. Plate 41, fig. 2, (a) fructification of the female 

 plant f ; (6) male flower, isolated ; (c) stamen ; (d) female 

 flower, isolated ; (e) fruit. 



This plant is frequent in most parts of Europe, and in this 

 country abounds in meadows and pastures, flowering in June and 

 July. 



The generic name is of doubtful origin ; some derive it from 

 ruma or struma, which the Lapathum of the ancients was used 

 to cure, others from rumex, a kind of spear, in allusion to the 

 shape of the leaves ; the latter derivation is the more probable, 

 if it be correct that the Oxalis (from oj-vg, sharp,) of Dios- 

 corides and Pliny refers to this plant, and indicates rather the 

 spear-like shape of the leaves than their acid taste. Acetosa 

 is evidently derived from oi;v$, acid. 



There are numerous species of Rumex, several of which are 

 indigenous to Britain. The Great Water Dock, (R. Hydrola- 

 •f The figure in the plate represents the male plant. 



