VOLUME LXVI * NUMBER 5 
THE 
BOTAN IGAL GeAZETFE 
NOVEMBER 1978 
MORPHOLOGY OF RUMEX CRISPUS 
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE HULL BOTANICAL LABORATORY 244 
WINFIELD DUDGEON 
(WITH PLATES XVII-XIX AND TWENTY-ONE FIGURES) 
Introduction 
A chance examination of a stem of Rumex crispus L. showed 
the presence of well developed internal bundles. Since this char- 
acter is to be regarded as advanced, Dr. W. J. G. LAND suggested 
that it might be of interest to investigate the morphology of the 
entire plant. This paper is concerned only with an account of the 
morphology of the floral structures; a study of the vascular 
situation is already under way. 
Aside from monographs, the genus Rumex, and indeed the 
entire family Polygonaceae and order Polygonales, have received 
little attention. Frvx (3) made a study of the ovular structures 
in R. verticillatus L. and R. mexicanus Meisn. (R. salicifolius Man.), 
which develop very similarly. The archesporial cell cuts off a 
primary wall cell, then forms a linear tetrad, the innermost mega- 
spore of which functions. He found approximately 24 chromosomes 
in the spindle of the first division of the megaspore mother cell, but 
was not certain whether this was a true reduction division. A regu- 
lar 8-nucleate embryo sac is formed, and pollen tubes enter, although 
actual fusion of the gametes was observed but once, and that in an 
unfavorable preparation. Rots (8) investigated several European 
393 
