RUMEX 
131 
I. *RUMEX SCUTATUS. Roman Sorrel. Plate 138 
Oxalis franca sen romana Gerard Herb. 320 (1597). 
Rumex scutatus L. Sp. PI. 337 (1753)!; Syme Eng. Bot. viii, 54 (1868); Rouy FI. France xii, 83 
(1910); Ascherson und Graebner Syn. iv, 766 (1912); Acetosa scutata Miller Gard. Diet. ed. 8, no. 3 (1768). 
Perennial, glaucous herb. Rhizome slender. Stem eventually erect, rather flexuous. Petioles 
of the ground-leaves more than twice as long as the laminae. Laminae of the ground-leaves 
hastate or cordate, more or less constricted about the middle of the stem-leaves, more or less 
hastate or sagittate, with petioles of about the same length. Inflorescence leafless, except some- 
times at the base ; a little branched ; whorls few-flowered. Flowers polygamous, protogynous ; 
May to August. Perianth — outer segments ultimately reflexed, applied to the base of the inner 
ones ; inner segments enlarging in fruit. Fruiting segments orbicular-cordate, entire, larger than 
and enclosing the achene. Achenes pale brown. 
(a) *R. scutatus var. hastilis Koch Syn. 615 (1837); R. scutatus var. vulgaris Meisner in DC. Prodr. xiv, 
70 (1856); Roily FI. France xii, 83 (1910); R. scutatus race typicus Ascherson und Graebner Syn. iv, 767 (1912). 
leones : — Syme Eng. Bot. viii, t. 1222, as R. scutatus. 
Exsiccata : — Billot, 2356, as R. scutatus. 
Laminae sagittate, usually longer and narrower than in var. glaucus, lateral sinuses usually 
well marked, basal lobes acute, usually longer than broad, less glaucous. 
We do not know whence the specimen drawn in Eng. Bot. (ed. 3) was obtained. 
( b ) *R. scutatus var. glaucus Gaudin Ft. Helv. ii, 589 (1828); Meisner toe. cit. ; Rouy FI. France xii, 83 
(1910); R. scutatus race glaucus Ascherson und Graebner Syn. iv, 768 (1912). 
leones : — Jacquin Icon. Rar. i, t. 67, as R. glaucus. 
Camb. Brit. FI. ii. Plate 138. Cumberland (M. H.). 
Exsiccata : — Todaro, 674, as R. scutatus. 
More glaucous than in the preceding variety. Laminae of the ground-leaves cordate, basal 
lobes very obtuse, lateral sinuses almost absent. 
Miller {Gard. Diet. ed. 8 (1768)) doubtless supplies the reason for the introduction of R. scutatus into this country. 
He states that it is “ much preferable to the common sorrel [7?. acetosa] for soups, so many persons have of late 
years cultivated it in their gardens, since the use of sorrel has been greatly increased in England, by the introduction 
of French cookery, it being an ingredient in many of their sauces and soups.” The use of sorrel for culinary purposes, 
that Miller here alludes to, seems to have, in this country, almost entirely died out, though it is still continued in France. 
Rouy (op. cit.) states that the var. glaucus is rare in France, and occurs chiefly in the east. It is the only form mentioned 
by Battandier et Trabut in their FI. d’Algerie. 
Naturalised near old castles, on walls, and near outbuildings of farms. A calcicolous plant ; but Rouy 
(op. cit.) mentions a form which prefers siliceous soils. Sussex, Kent, Monmouthshire, West Riding of York- 
shire (ascending to about 300 m.), Lancashire, Cumberland, Edinburghshire, Fifeshire ; Ireland, co. Clare. 
Indigenous in the Mediterranean region. 
R. scutatus is indigenous in France, south-central Europe (ascending to 2750 m. in the Alps), southern 
Europe ; northern Africa ; south-western Asia. 
Series ii. Acetosae 
Acetosae nobis. For characters, see page 130. 
2. RUMEX ACETOSA. Common Sorrel. Plate 139 
Oxalis seu Acetosa Gerard Herb. 319 (1597); Acetosa vidgaris Parkinson Theatr. Bot. 742 (1640); Lapathum 
acetosum vulgare Ray Syn. ed. 3, 143 (1724). 
Rumex acetosa L. Sp. PI. 337 (1753); Syme Eng. Bot. viii, 54 (1868); Rouy FI. France xii, 86 (1910); 
Ascherson und Graebner Syn. iv, 776 (1912); Acetosa pratensis Miller Gard. Diet. ed. 8, no. 1 (1768). 
leones: — Smith Eng. Bot. t. 127; Svensk Bot. t. 190; Beck in Reichenbach Icon, xxiv, t. 194. 
Camb. Brit. FI. ii. Plate 139. (a) Flowering shoot of the pistillate plant, (b) Lower leaves. ( c ) Pistillate 
flowers (enlarged). (d) Fruits (enlarged). ( e ) Flowering shoot of staminate plant. (/) Staminate flowers 
(enlarged). Huntingdonshire (E. W. H.). 
Exsiccata: — Billot, 2528; Herb. FI. Ingric. iv, 534. 
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