138 
RUMEX 
leones: — Syme Eng. Bot. viii, t. 1217, as R. conspersus ; Beck in Reichenbach Icon, xxiv, t. 159, as R. 
confertus. 
Aerial stem about 1 m. high or rather more, stout. Petioles of the ground-leaves as long as 
the laminae. Laminae of the ground-leaves oblong-acute, subcordate to obtuse at the base, margin 
more or less undulate, acute to obtuse at the apex. Inflorescence large ; branches suberect or 
ascending ; with some stalked acute leaves especially towards the base, whorls rather close together. 
Pedicels about twice as long as the fruiting segments, articulated below the middle. Fruiting 
segments about 5 mm. long and 8 broad, subcordate, acute, larger, broader, and more cordate than 
in R. obtusifolius, dentate towards the base ; one with a distinct short tubercle. Achene 3 — 5 mm. 
long and 2 broad, ovate, dark brown, often infertile. 
Many forms of this putative hybrid occur, most of which approach in habit R. obtusifolius rather than R. longifolius. 
“ Professor Areschoug named the Scottish plant ‘ conspersus 1 on seeing specimens in my herbarium, so that its identity with 
the Swedish plant so named may be fully acquiesced in” (H. C. Watson, Top. Bot. ed. 2, 358 (1883)). 
Local ; south-eastern, eastern, and northern Scotland to Orkney and Zetland. 
Norway, Sweden, Denmark, northern Russia. 
7. RUMEX CRISPUS. Curled Dock. Plate 144 
Lapathum folio acuto crispo Ray Syn. ed. 3, 141 (1724). 
Rumex crispus L. Sp. PI. 335 (1753)!; Syme Eng. Bot. viii, 49 (1868); Rouy FI. France xii, 73 
(1910); Ascherson und Graebner Syn. iv, 722 (1912). 
Perennial. Rhizome more slender than in most of the allied species. Stem up to about 
1 m. high, flexuous, leafy ; branches suberect. Petioles about as long as the laminae. Laminae 
lanceolate, usually subcordate or truncate at the base, usually very undulate, acute ; of the ground- 
leaves up to about 2 dm. long and 7 — 8 cm. broad. Inflorescence rather leafy below, elongate, 
narrow ; whorls rather crowded above, distant below. Pedicels jointed much below the middle, about 
twice as long as the fruiting segments. Flowers from mid-June to September ; the first of the 
common docks to flower. Anthers oblong. Fruiting segments suborbicular acute to ovate, more 
or less cordate at the base, denticulate towards the base, 1 or all tubercled, usually about 4 or 
5 mm. long. Achenes about 2 ’5 mm. long, acute at both ends. 
leones : — Camb. Brit. Ft. ii. Plate 744. (a) Fruiting branch, (b) Stem-leaf. ( c ) Ground-leaf. ( d ) Flowers 
(enlarged). ( e ) The three persistent perianth-segments of a single fruit. ( a — e ) var. typicus. Huntingdonshire 
(E. W. H.). (/) Fruiting segments (2 enlarged) of var. trigranulatus. 
(a) R. crispus var. typicus Beck FI. Nied.-Oesterr. 320 (1890). 
leones: — Curtis FI. Lond. i, t. 60, as R. crispus ; Smith Eng. Bot. t. 1998, as R. crispus ! ; Reichenbach 
Iconogr. Crit. t. 576, fig. 783, as R. crispus ; FI. Dan. t. 1334, as R. crispus ; Beck in Reichenbach Icon. t. 163, 
as R. crispus. 
Camb. Brit. FI. ii. Plate /yy. (a — e). 
Exsiccata : — Herb. FI. Ingric. iv, 530, as R. crispus. 
Laminae all very wavy. Inflorescence more or less lax. Fruiting segments either with only 
1 tubercle, or with 3 one of which is usually much larger than the others. 
This is the common plant of waste places and arable land. 
{b) R. crispus var. subcordatus Warren in Bot. Exch. Club Brit. Report for 1872 — y, 36 (1875)!. 
Stem taller (i’5 m.) than in var. typicus , more elongate; branches not appressed. Laminae 
subcordate at the base, wavy. Inflorescence more elongate, lax. Fruiting segments with only 1 tubercle. 
Areschoug stated that this variety was allied with but distinct from his R. propinquus (= R. crispus x longifolius). Syme 
(in Bot. Exch. Club Brit. Rep. for 1872 — y, p. 36) remarked that its seeds do not give pure seedlings. Hence the plant may 
be a hybrid ; but more critical experiments are necessary before it is possible to offer a final opinion. 
Local ; Cornwall, Sussex, Warwickshire, East Riding of Yorkshire, Roxburghshire, Fifeshire, Kinross-shire. 
Not recorded for any other country. 
(c) R. crispus var. trigranulatus Syme in Bot. Exch. Club Brit. Rep. for 1872 — y, 37 (1875)!. 
leones : — Camb. Brit. FI. ii. Plate /yy. (/). 
Exsiccata : — Linn, herb., as R. crispus. 
