456 
HEXANDRIA. TRIGYNIA. Rumex. 
Brodie, Hook. Scot. Side of the Avon between Keynsham andBitton; 
and in a small pit on the left hand side of the road from Winterbourne 
to Iron-Acton, Glostershire. E.) P. July—Aug.* 
(2) Flowers all perfect ; petals toothed , only one-headed. 
R. pul'cher. Root-leaves liddle-shaped : (stem smooth, divaricated. E.) 
(j E. Bot. 1576. Ox. v. 27. 13— Pet. 2. 10—J. B. ii. 988. 3 —Till. 
Pis. SI . 2 . 
Stem-leaves egg-oblong, entire, not hollowed out at the sides. Flowering- 
branches reflexed. Valves blunt at the end, the outer with a grain ; the 
rest imperfectly tubercled. Linn. Stem much branched. Branches alter¬ 
nate, with a strap-spear-shaped leaf under each. Woodw. ( Whorls 
small, distant, leafy. Stems often procumbent. Radical leaves on long 
foot-stalks. 
Fiddle Dock. Rubbish, dry meadows, and road sides. In Norfolk, very 
common. Mr. Woodward. Wick cliffs and Mangotsfield near Bristol. 
Rev. G. Swayne. Opposite the inn at Alveston, Gloucestershire. Mr. 
Baker. P. July—Aug. 
( 3 ) Flowers all perfect: petals toothed , all headed. 
(R. marit'imus. Upper leaves strap-shaped: lower leaves strap-spear- 
shaped : whorls leafy. 
E. Bot. 725—FI. Dan. 1208— Pet. 2. 8 —J. B. ii. 988. 1. 
Stem one to two feet high, sometimes of a tawny red, often flexuose. Lower 
leaves stalked, not undulated. Whorls of flowers remarkably crowded 
together, assuming the appearance of a leafy spike, at length becoming 
confluent, conspicuous from their rich golden colour. Hooker observes, 
that this is distinguished from every preceding species by its narrow 
leaves , and singularly setaceo-spinous, excessively crowded, and bright 
coloured valves. Each petal exhibits four bristle-like teeth, fully as long 
as the valve. 
Golden Dock. R. maritimus. Linn. Lightf. Huds. Sm. With. Ed. 6. 
Willd. Oed. Hook. Grev. R. maritimus (3. Huds. and With, Ed. 2. La- 
pathum folio acuto , fore aureo. Ray. Syn. Bauh. Pin. L. aureum. Pet. 
R. aureus. With. Ed. 4. Relh. Huff Abbot. In marshes, but not inva¬ 
riably near the sea. About Crowland, Lincolnshire; near the Trent at 
Swarston, Derbyshire; and between Hythe and the sea. Ray. Solway 
Frith, near the Salt-houses at Priestside, Ruthwell. Lightfoot. Severn 
Stoke, Worcestershire. Mr. Ballard. Sides of Ancot Pool, near Shrews- 
* It is a medicine of considerable efficacy, both externally applied as a wash for putrid 
spongy gums, and internally in some species of scurvy. In rheumatic pains and chronic 
diseases, from obstructed viscera, it is said to be useful. The powdered root is excellent 
for cleaning the teeth. The root has sometimes a reddish tinge, which soon changes to a 
yellowish brown when exposed to the air. Curculio Lapathi is found upon the leaves, 
(which are also subject to Uredo Rumicis, small, globose, dusky brown.—This dock is 
supposed to be the “ Herba Brilannica" of the ancients, celebrated for the cure of cuta¬ 
neous diseases. The leaves often attain a magnitude secondary only to those of the 
Arctium lappa , or Tussilago. E.) 
