About
Contact
Links
Electronic Flora of South Australia
Electronic Flora of South Australia
Census of SA Plants, Algae & Fungi
Identification tools
 

Electronic Flora of South Australia species Fact Sheet

Family: Polygonaceae
Rumex acetosella

Citation: L., Sp. Pl. 338 (1753).

Synonymy: Acetosella angiocarpa (Murb.)A. Löve, Rep. Univ. Inst. Appl. Sci., Reykjavik ser. B, 3:109 (1948); Acetosella vulgaris Fourr., Ann. Soc. Linn. Lyon n.s. 17:145 (1869), partly; R. angiocarpus Murb., Acta Univ. Lund 27, 5:46 (1892).

Common name: Sorrel, sheep sorrel.

Description:
Erect slender perennial herb to c. 60 cm high, acid in taste, dioecious; leaves 2-10 X 1-3.5 cm, petiolate, hastate, with spreading auricles, conspicuously 1-7 veined from the base; stipules silvery-white.

Flowers small, c. 2 mm diam., 2-3 mm long when flowering, forming a slender leafless reddish panicle; valves ovate, adhering to the nut, entire, without tubercles, scarcely as long as the nut, 1-1.5 mm long.

image of FSA1_Rumex_ace.jpg
Image source: fig. 99a in Jessop J.P. & Toelken H.R. (Ed.) 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).

Published illustration: Cunningham et al. (1982) Plants of western New South Wales, p. 228.

Distribution:  S.Aust.: EP, NL, MU, SL, KI, SE.   It occurs as a weed of disturbed areas, probably in all States except N.T.   Native to the Mediterranean, but widely naturalised in temperate regions of the world.

Conservation status: naturalised

Flowering time: Sept. — Dec.


SA Distribution Map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: No text

Taxonomic notes: There is disagreement on the genus to which it should be ascribed.

Author: Not yet available


Disclaimer Copyright Disclaimer Copyright Email Contact:
State Herbarium of South Australia
Government of South Australia Government of South Australia Government of South Australia Department for Environment and Water