RUMEX 
i33 
An allied Mediterranean species, R. multifidis L. Sp. PL ed. 2, 482 (1762) (-R. acetoselloides Balansa in Bull. Soc. Bot. 
France, ser. 2, i, 282 (1854)) sometimes occurs in this country as a casual. 
Dry banks, roadsides, heaths, woods, natural grassland, moors ; most abundant on dry light 
sandy soils, but not rare on some siliceous soils ; local on limestone soils, and rare on Chalk ; 
absent from the heavier clays and marls. In every county in the British Isles; ascending to 1040m. 
in co. Kerry. 
Scandinavia, Iceland, Faeroes, France, Germany, central Europe, Russia, southern Europe, 
Asia; northern and southern Africa; Atlantic islands; America; Greenland; Australia. Ascends 
to 2400 m. in Switzerland. 
Section II. LAPATHUM 
Lapathum [Tournefort Inst. 504 (1719) as a genus] Meisner in DC. Prodr. xiv, 42 (1856); Ascherson 
und Graebner Syn. iv, 699 (1912). 
For characters, see page 130. 
The British species belong to the subsection Eu-Lapathum Ascherson und Graebner Syn. iv, 702 (1912). 
British series of Lapathum 
Series i. fAlpini (see below). Plants about 4 — 5 dm. high, of fresh, moist ground. Ground-leaves 
very broad, often broader than long, deeply cordate at the base, very obtuse. Flowers monoclinous 
or polygamous. Fruiting segments subcordate, strongly reticulate, entire or subentire ; tubercles 
absent or very small. 
Series ii. Hydrolapatha (p. 134). Large plants (1 — 2 m. high), of aquatic or subaquatic 
habitats. Ground-leaves longer than broad. Lower stem-leaves larger than the ground-leaves. 
Fruiting- segments of the perianth triangular, margin entire or denticulate ; each with a small, narrow, 
distinct tubercle. 
Series iii. Crispi (p. 136). Usually tall and strict plants (1 — 2 m. high) of inland waste 
places or submaritime or maritime habitats. Ground-leaves very much longer than broad. Fruiting 
segments suborbicular-cordate, margin entire; usually 1 — 3 tubercles. 
Series iv. Obtusifolii (p. 140). Large plants (about 1 m. high) of dry or rather moist waste 
places. Ground-leaves about half as broad as long or rather broader. Fruiting segments truncate 
at the base, margin more or less toothed ; tubercles usually 3, variable in size. 
Series v. Pulchres (p. 142). Plants about 3 — 5 dm. high, or decumbent, of very dry places. 
Ground-leaves often constricted a little below the middle. Fruiting segments strongly toothed, each 
with a tubercle. 
Series vi. Sanguinei (p. 143). Plants about 4 — 6 dm. high, of more or less moist ground. 
Groutid-leaves not constricted. Fruiting segments entire, tubercles 1 — 3. 
Series vii. Maritimi (p. 147). Plants about 3 — 5 dm. high, of aquatic or subaquatic habitats. 
Ground-leaves narrow, at least 5 or 6 times as long as broad. Fruiting-segments with narrow, 
slender teeth, at least as broad as the achene, each with a tubercle. 
Series i. t Alp ini 
tAlpini nobis. 
For characters, see above. Only British species : — fF. alpinus. 
4. tRUMEX ALPINUS. Monk’s Rhubarb. Plate 141 
Hippolapathum roUindifolium Gerard Herb. 313 (1597). 
Rumex alpinus L. Sp. PI. 334 (1753)!; Syme Eng. Bot. viii, 53 (1868); Rouy Ft. France xii, 72 (1910); 
Ascherson und Graebner Syn. iv, 736 (1912). 
leones : — Hooker in Eng. Bot. Suppl. t. 2694 : this drawing is erroneously referred to R. longifolius by Meisner 
in DC. Prodr. xiv, 44 (1856), an error repeated by Rouy Ft. France xii, 72 (1910); Beck in Reichenbach 
Icon, xxiv, t. 158. 
