Citation: L., About 200 species, cosmopolitan. (Key and several descriptions from Rechinger (1984) Nuytsia 5:75-122.) Docks.

Derivation: Latin for sorrel; probably from the shape of the leaf, rumex meaning a dart or javelin.

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: None

Description:
Herbaceous perennials, rarely annuals; leaves linear to ovate, cuneate to hastate at the base.

Flowers small, often turning red, on jointed pedicels, in whorl-like clusters, forming racemes or panicles; perianth-segments 6, the 3 inner ones (valves) enlarged and closing over the fruit; stamens 6; styles 3, with large penicillate stigmas.

Nut triquetrous, enclosed in the 3 inner segments or valves.

Biology: No text

Key to Species:

1. Leaves usually hastate or sagittate with acute lobes; flowers dioecious, polygamous or hermaphrodite
2. Valves very small, not longer than the nut, without a callosity, often adnate to the nut	R. acetosella 1.
2. Valves distinctly overtopping the nut
3. Vigorous erect annual; valves 12-23 mm	R. vesicarius 15.
3. Perennial climber with thick tuberous roots; valves 4-7 mm	R. sagittatus 13.
1. Leaves never hastate or sagittate with acute lobes; flowers hermaphrodite or polygamous
4. Valves entire
5. Panicle open with divaricate branches; valve callosity covering most of its surface	R. conglomeratus 6.
5. Panicle condensed, closed, whorls condensed; valve callosity not covering most of its surface	R. crispus 7.
4. Valves toothed
6. Annuals; fruiting perianth up to 2 mm long	R. crystallinus 8.
6. Perennials; fruiting perianth more than 2 mm long
7. Amphibious plants with long creeping often inflated rhizomes and relatively short simple or little-branched inflorescences
8. Valve teeth 2, straight; pedicels thickened towards the base of the perianth	R. bidens 3.
8. Valve teeth 4-6, often slightly hooked; pedicel slender	R. X comaumensis 5.
7. Terrestrial more or less erect plants often-with repeatedly branched panicles
9. Valves with several hooked teeth on each side and with a hooked tip
10. Basal and lower stem leaves oblong or lanceolate, c. 4-5 times longer than broad, thin; pedicels thin, in whorls of 5-8 flowers; valves c. 2.5-4 mm long	R. brownii 4.
10. Basal and lower stem leaves ovate or ovate-oblong, up to c. 3 times longer than broad, thick; pedicels thicker, in whorls of 8-15 flowers; valves c. 4.5-5 mm long	R. alcockii 2.
9. Valves with 1 or several straight or slightly arcuate teeth on each side
11. Basal leaves oblong-ovate or elliptic and about twice as long as broad, usually with a distinctly cordate base
12. Pedicels slender, at least twice as long as the fruiting perianth, articulate at the middle or slightly below
13. Leaves flat	R. obtusifolius 10.
13. Leaves undulate or crisped	R. X pratensis 11.
12. Pedicels rather thick, about as long as the fruiting perianth, articulate at the middle or slightly below	R. pulcher 12.
11. Basal leaves lanceolate to linear, many times longer than broad, with variable base
14. Leaves c. 5 mm broad, up to 20 times longer than broad, flat; valves 2.5-3 mm long	R. tenax 14.
14. Leaves 8-20 mm broad, linear-lanceolate, crisped; valves c. 5 mm long	R. dumosus 9.

Author: Not yet available