Species: Rumex maritimus
English Name: Dock
Chinese Name: 刺酸模
Family: Polygonaceae
Description:
Herbs annual, rarely biennial, especially in S regions. Stems erect, 15-60 cm tall, branched below middle, grooved, glabrous or weakly shortly papillose. Lower leaves: petiole 1-2.5 cm; leaf blade lanceolate or lanceolate-oblong, 4-15(-20) × 1-3(-4) cm, both surfaces glabrous or shortly papillose below, base narrowly cuneate, margin entire and smooth, or occasionally slightly undulate, apex acute, cauline leaves shortly petiolate or nearly sessile, smaller than basal ones; ocrea fugacious, membranous. Inflorescence paniculate. Flowers bisexual. Pedicel filiform, articulate at base or slightly above base, articulation indistinctly swollen. Outer tepals elliptic, ca. 2 mm; inner tepals enlarged in fruit; valves narrowly triangular-ovate, 2.5-3.5 × 0.8-1.5 mm wide, all valves with tubercles, base truncate, each margin with 2 or 3(or 4) teeth, apex acute; teeth 2.5-3 mm, narrow; tubercles oblong, ca. 1.5 mm. Achenes yellow-brown, shiny, ellipsoid, sharply trigonous, 1.5-2 mm. Fl. May-Jun, fr. Jun-Jul. 2n = 40.
Photos used under a Creative Commons license
References:
– Wu ZY, Raven PH, Hong DY (eds) (2003). Flora of China, Volume 5: Ulmaceae through Basellaceae. Science Press, Beijing, and Missouri Bot Garden Press, St. Louis