Rumex acetosa, L.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1964, Flora Europaea - Volume 1. Lycopodiaceae to Platanaceae, Cambridge University Press : 85

14. R. acetosa L. , Sp. Pl. 337 (1753) .

Ochreae fimbriate. Basal leaves 2-4 times as long as wide, with long, narrow, deflexed basal lobes. Branches of inflorescence simple. Valves 3-3-5 mm, suborbicular, with a small tubercle near the base. Nut 1- 8- 2-2 mm, blackish, shining. 2n = 14 (?), 15 (<£). Mainlyinmeadows. Most of Europe, but rare in much of the south. Al Au Be Br Bu Co Cz Da Fa Fe Ga Ge Hb He Ho Hs Hu It Ju?Lu No Po Rm Rs (N, B, C, W, E)?Sa Su [Is].

Polymorphic; several variants have been given specific rank. Of these the most distinct are:

R. vinealis Timb.-Lagr. & Jeanb. , Bull. Soc. Bot. Fr. 11: lxxii (1864). Whole plant purplish; withoutacid taste. Stems numerous, from a thick stock, branched from below the middle. Basal leaves ovate, slightly sagittate. Inflorescence long, narrow. Valves nearly 4 mm wide. Vineyards in S. W. France (near Toulouse).

R. hibernicus Rech.fil. , IVatsonia 5: 65 (1961). Stems 10- 15 cm, several, arcuate-ascending, from a thin, straggling stock. Basal leaves 10-15 x 5-10 mm, with short, acute, slightly divergent basal lobes; cauline leaves few, the upper up to 8 times as long as wide. Inflorescence dense, with very few, short branches. Valves up to 4 x4-5 mm. Dunes in W. Scotland and W. Ireland.