( 454 .) 
RU'MEX * *. 
Linnean Class ami Order. Haxa'ndria f, Trigy'nia. 
Natural Order. Polygo'ne.f. +, Juss. Gen. PI. p. 82. — Sra. Gr. 
of But. p. 90. — Lindl. Syn. p. 209; Introd. to Nat. Syst of Bot. 
p. 169. — Rich, by Maegilliv. p. 424. — Loud. Hurt. Brit. p. 531. — 
Mack. FI. Ilibern. p. 220. — Hook. FI. Brit. (4th edit.) p. 417. — 
Querneai.es; sect. Rumicina:; type, Polygonace.e ; Burn. 
Outl. of Bot. v. ii. pp. 523, 587, & 596. — Holeracea2, Linn. 
Gen. Char. Calyx (see fig. 1.) inferior, of 3 blunt, spreading, 
permanent sepals, more or less united at the base. Corolla (see 
figs. 1.) of 3 egg-shaped petals, larger than the calyx, but similar 
in hue, though thinner in texture, and more veiny, subsequently 
enlarged, converging round the seed, and permanent (see fig. 2.), 
bearing, in some species, a dorsal grain or tubercle, (see fig. 3). 
Filaments (see fig. 1.) 6, hair-like, very short. Anthers upright, 
oblong, of 2 lobes. Germen superior, triangular, rather turbinate ; 
sometimes in a separate flower. Styles 3, hair-like, spreading, pro- 
truding between the petals. Stigmas large, in many fine tufted 
segments. Seed-vessel none, except the enlarged, closed petals. 
Seed (nut) (see figs. 4 & 5.) 1, triangular, polished, with 3 sharp 
edges ; embryo oblong, at one side of the albumen. 
The calyx of 3 sepals, combined at the base ; the corolla of 3 
petals ; the many-cleft stigmas ; and the triangular nut, covered 
by the enlarged petals ; will distinguish this from other genera in 
the same class and order. 
Fourteen species British. 
RU'MEX OBTUSIFOL1US. Blunt-leaved Dock. Broad-leaved 
Dock. Common Dock. Butter Dock. Red Shanks. 
Spec. Char. Radical leaves heart-shaped, blunt, wavy and 
crisped at the margins. Enlarged Petals oblongo-triangular, reticu- 
lated, toothed at the base, with an entire point, one principally tu- 
berculated. Whorls approximate, nearly leafless. 
Engl. Bot. t. 1999.— Curt. FI. Loml. t. 168. — Linn. Sp. I’l. p. 478.— Huds. FI. 
Angl. (2nd ed.) p. 155 — Willd. Sp. PI. v. ii. pt. i. p. 255.— Sm. FI. Brit. v. i. p. 
392. ; Engl. FI. v. ii. p. 192.— With. (7th ed.) v. ii. p. 457.— Lindl. Syn. p. 210.— 
Hook. Brit. FI. p. 1G9. — Macr. Man. Brit. Bot. p. 198. — Lightf. Fl.’Scot. v. i. p. 
189. — Sibth. FI. Oxon. p. 118. — Abbot’s FI. Bedf. p, 81. — Thomp. PI. of Berw! 
p. 37. — Davies’ Welsh Bot. p. 35. — Purt. Midi. FI. v. i. p. 184. — Kelli. FI. Cant. 
(3rd edit.) p. 148.— Hook. FI. Soot. p. 113.— Grev. FI. Edin. p. 83.— FI. Devon! 
pp. 64 & 139. — Julinst. FI. Berw. v. i. p. 83. —Winch’s FI. of Northumb. & Durh. 
p. 23. —Walker’s FI. of Oxf. p. 103.— Bab. FI. Bath. p. 43. ; Prim. FI. Sam. p. 85. 
— Dick. FI. Abred. p. 34. — Irv. Lond. FI. p. 124. — Luxf. Reig. FI. p. 32. — Cow. 
FI. Guide, p. 45.— Baines’ FI. of Yorksli. p. 86. — Leight. FI. of Shropsh. p. 155.— 
Gull. PI. of Banb. p. 8. — Mack. Catal. PI. of Irel. p. 35. ; FI. Ilibern. p 222.— 
Lapathum obtusifolium, Moench. Meth. p. 256. — Gray’s Nat. Arr. v. ii. p. 37 1 ' 
La pat hum vulgare, folio obtuso, Kay’s Syn. p. HI.— Lapathum sylvestre, 
folio minus acuto, Johnson’s Gerarde, p. 388. 
Fig. 1. A Flower.— Fig. 2. The same when the petals are enlarged, and enclose 
the ripe seed.— Fig. 3. A granulated Petal.— Fig. 4. A Seed.— Fig. 5. Ditto.— 
Figs. 3 and 5 magnified. 
* So named by the Romans from a sort of spear, the shape of which the leaves 
of several species of the genus nearly resemble. Witheiung. 
t See folio 33, note t. 4 Sec folio 311, a. 
