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Rumex acetosella

SHEEP SORREL


Higher Taxonomy
Family: PolygonaceaeView DescriptionDichotomous Key
Common Name: BUCKWHEAT FAMILY
Habit: Annual to shrub [tree]. Stem: nodes swollen or not. Leaf: simple, basal or cauline, generally alternate; ocreae present or 0, generally scarious, persistent or not. Inflorescence: flower clusters in axillary to terminal cyme-, panicle-, raceme-, spike-, umbel- or head-like arrangements, entire inflorescence or main inflorescence branches generally subtended by bracts ("inflorescence bracts"); peduncles present or 0; flower clusters in Eriogoneae-Eriogonoideae subtended by involucre of >= 1 free or +- fused, sometimes awn-tipped bracts ("involucre bracts") or, in Polygonoideae and rarely in Eriogonoideae, not (if bracts completely fused, involucre "tubular"); pedicels in Eriogoneae each often subtended by 2 free, transparent, linear bractlets or in Polygonoideae all subtended by 2+ fused, membranous, wide bractlets. Flower: generally bisexual, small, 1--200 per node; perianth parts 2--6, generally in 2 whorls, free or basally fused, generally petal-like, often +- concave adaxially, often darker at midvein, often turning +- red or +- brown in age; stamens [1]3 or 6--9 in 2 whorls; ovary superior, 1-chambered, ovule 1, styles 1--3. Fruit: achenes, included in or exserted from perianth, generally 3-angled, ovoid or elliptic, generally glabrous.
Genera In Family: 48 genera, +- 1200 species: worldwide, especially northern temperate; some cultivated for food (Coccoloba, sea-grape; Fagopyrum, Rheum, Rumex) or ornamental (Antigonon, lovechain; Coccoloba; Muehlenbeckia; Persicaria; Polygonum), a few timbered (Coccoloba; Triplaris). Several (Emex; Fallopia; Persicaria; Polygonum; Rumex) are weeds. Note: Treatment of genera in Eriogonoideae based on monographic work of James L. Reveal. Involucre number throughout is number (1--many) per ultimate grouping, at tips of ultimate branches; flower number is per flower cluster or involucre, unless otherwise stated. Fagopyrum esculentum Moench not naturalized, considered an historical waif (or garden weed +- presently), therefore not treated.
eFlora Treatment Author: Mihai Costea, except as noted
Scientific Editor: Thomas J. Rosatti, Bruce G. Baldwin.
Genus: RumexView DescriptionDichotomous Key


Common Name: DOCK
Habit: Annual to perennial herb; glabrous or papillate and hairy; rhizomed, stoloned, or generally from taproot with a short caudex; occasionally dioecious. Stem: prostrate, decumbent, or generally erect to ascending, often +- ridged, red-brown in fruit, nodes +- swollen. Leaf: generally basal and cauline, alternate, petioled except uppermost cauline; ocreae deciduous to persistent. Inflorescence: axillary or generally terminal, generally panicle-like. Flower: generally bisexual, bell-shaped, glabrous, green, +- pink, or red; perianth lobes 6, persistent, in fruit outer 3 +- inconspicuous, inner 3 enlarged, hardened, +- veiny, covering fruit, midrib of 1--3 often expanded into tubercle; stamens 6; stigmas 3, fringed. Fruit: achene, glabrous, +- black or dark brown to +- red.
Etymology: (Latin: sorrel) Note: Mature inner perianth lobes generally needed for identification. Species often hybridize.
eFlora Treatment Author: Scott Simono
Rumex acetosella L.
NATURALIZED
Habit: Perennial herb; rhizome creeping and/or taproot vertical, dioecious. Stem: ascending or erect, several from base, generally < 4 dm, slender. Leaf: generally +- basal; blade 2--6 cm, generally lanceolate to obovate-oblong, base widely tapered or generally hastate or sagittate, margin flat, tip acute or obtuse. Inflorescence: terminal, +- open, interrupted; whorls (3)5--8(10)-flowered; pedicel 1--3 mm. Flower: inner perianth lobes generally 1.2--1.7(2) mm, 0.5--1.3 mm wide, not or +- enlarged in fruit, free wing 0 or barely visible, base tapered, margin entire, tip obtuse or +- acute; tubercles 0. Fruit: 0.9--1.5 mm, 0.6--0.9 mm wide, brown. Chromosomes: 2n=14,28,42.
Ecology: +- disturbed, often acidic places; Elevation: < 3000 m. Bioregional Distribution: CA-FP, GB; Distribution Outside California: worldwide; native to Europe, Asia. Flowering Time: Apr--Jul Note: Large, variable, taxonomically complex, polyploid complex.
Synonyms: Rumex angiocarpus Murb.
Jepson eFlora Author: Scott Simono
Index of California Plant Names (ICPN; linked via the Jepson Online Interchange)
View the CDFA Pest Rating page for Rumex acetosella
Weed listed by Cal-IPC

Previous taxon: Rumex
Next taxon: Rumex britannica

Botanical illustration including Rumex acetosellabotanical illustration including Rumex acetosella


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Citation for this treatment: Scott Simono 2012, Rumex acetosella, in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=42362, accessed on December 03, 2024.

Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) 2024, Jepson eFlora, https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/, accessed on December 03, 2024.

Rumex acetosella
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©2008 Steve Matson
Rumex acetosella
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©2008 Keir Morse
Rumex acetosella
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©2014 California Academy of Sciences
Rumex acetosella
click for image enlargement
©2008 Steve Matson
Rumex acetosella
click for image enlargement
©2008 Keir Morse

More photos of Rumex acetosella
in CalPhotos



Geographic subdivisions for Rumex acetosella:
CA-FP, GB
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map of distribution 1

(Note: any qualifiers in the taxon distribution description, such as 'northern', 'southern', 'adjacent' etc., are not reflected in the map above, and in some cases indication of a taxon in a subdivision is based on a single collection or author-verified occurrence).






 

Data provided by the participants of the  Consortium of California Herbaria.

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View all CCH records
All markers link to CCH specimen records. The original determination is shown in the popup window.
Blue markers indicate specimens that map to one of the expected Jepson geographic subdivisions (see left map). Purple markers indicate specimens collected from a garden, greenhouse, or other non-wild location.
Yellow markers indicate records that may provide evidence for eFlora range revision or may have georeferencing or identification issues.
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CCH collections by month Flowering-Fruiting Monthly Counts

Duplicates counted once; synonyms included.
Species do not include records of infraspecific taxa, if there are more than 1 infraspecific taxon in CA.
Blue line denotes eFlora flowering time (fruiting time in some monocot genera).