1. Rumex Acetosella L. Field, Wood, Red Or Sheep Sorrel

Fig. 1597

Rumex Acetosella L. Sp. PI. 338. 1753.

Annual or perennial, glabrous, dioecious, stem slender, erect or nearly so, simple or branched, the rootstock woody, horizontal or creeping. Leaves narrowly hastate, 1-4' long, obtuse or acute at the apex, usually widest above the middle, petioled, the basal auricles entire or 1-2-toothed, or the uppermost leaves nearly linear and not auricled, all papillose; ocreae silvery, 2-parted, soon lacerate; flowers in erect panicled racemes; racemes interrupted; calyx green, i" long, pedicelled; stamens exserted; achene less than 1" long, very granular, exceeding the persistent calyx, its angles not margined.

In dry fields and on hillsides throughout North America except the extreme north. In large part naturalized from Europe. Sometimes a troublesome weed. Foliage very acid. Native also of Asia. Ascends to 6000 ft. in North Carolina. May-Sept. Sour-dock. Sour-grass or -leek. Mountain- or gentleman's-sorrel. Horse-, cow- or toad-sorrel. Red weed.

2. Rumex Hastatulus Muhl. Engel-Mann's Sorrel

Fig. 1598

Rumex hastatulus Muhl. Cat. Ed. 2, 37. 1818.

R. Engehnanni Meisn. in DC. Prodr. 14: 64. 1856.

Perennial from a woody base, glabrous, dioecious; stem rather strict, simple or branched, erect, 5-20' tall. Leaves hastate, oblong or oblanceolate, 1'-5' long, the basal numerous, more or less auricled at the base, subacute, petioled, those of the stem linear, all papillose; ocreae silvery, 2-parted, at length lacerate; racemes ascending, at length interrupted; calyx green, slender-pedicelled, winged in fruit; pedicels equalling or longer than the wings; wings orbicular, mostly broader than high, cordate, 1 1/4"-1 3/4" long; stamens slightly exserted; achene reddish, smooth, shining, less than 1" long, invested by the calyx-wings, its angles margined.

On the sea-coast, Massachusetts to Florida and on the plains from Illinois to Kansas and Texas, a geographic distribution nearly the same as that of Cheno-podium leptophyllnm. March-Aug.

3. Rumex Acetosa L. Green Sorrel. Sour Or Sharp Dock

Fig. 1599

Rumex Acetosa L. Sp. PI. 337. 1753.

Perennial, glabrous, dioecious; stem erect, simple, grooved, 1°-3° tall. Leaves oblong-hastate or ovate-sagittate, 1'-5 long, acute at the apex, crisped or erose on the margins, the basal few, long-petioled, the upper subsessile, the acute auricles entire or 1-toothed and more or less reflexed; ocreae lacerate; racemes nearly erect, crowded, at length interrupted; calyx green, 1" long, pedicelled, winged in fruit; pedicels equalling or shorter than the wings, jointed near the middle; wings broadly ovate or orbicular, cordate, 2"-2 1/2" long; achene rather more than 1" long, pointed, smooth, shining, blackish, invested by the calyx-wings.

Labrador to Alaska. Naturalized from Europe in Vermont, New York and Pennsylvania. Native also of Asia. Summer. Sour-grass. Green sauce. Meadow, English or cock-sorrel. Red shank.