Polygonaceae
Rumex

Rumex nepalensis Spreng.

First published in Syst. Veg., ed. 16. 2: 159 (1825)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Cameroon to Eritrea and S. Africa, Arabia Peninsula, Madagascar, SE. Europe to China, Jawa. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit
Perennial herb, up to 1.5 m tall, glabrous or almost so
Morphology Leaves
Leaves oblong-lanceolate, blade up to c. 30 x 6 cm, acute to obtuse at the apex, cuneate to cordate at the base; petiole short
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Flowers in clusters arranged in an open panicle with long branches
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Tepal
Inner tepals c. 5 mm long in fruit, usually with tubercles, with hooked teeth at the margin
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nut c. 3.5 mm long.
Distribution
N2; widespread in Africa, also Arabia, and from the Balkan peninsula in the west to southern China in the east.
Ecology
Altitude range 2000–2500 m.
[FSOM]

Flora Zambesiaca. Vol. 9, Part 3. Polygonaceae-Myriaceae. Pope GV, Polhill RM, Martins ES. 2006.

Morphology General Habit
A stout, ± straggling perennial herb up to 1.8 m tall A stout, ± straggling perennial herb up to 1.8 m tall.
Morphology Stem
Stems green to greenish-brown, hollow, glabrous, striate Stems green to greenish-brown, hollow, glabrous, striate.
Morphology Leaves
Leaf lamina 25–45 × 7–9 cm, oblong-lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, obtuse or rounded at the apex, cuneate at the base, entire or crisped on the margin, glabrous or with scattered papillae on the undersurface, the upper leaves smaller; petiole of basal leaves 13–30 cm long Leaf lamina 25–45 × 7–9 cm, oblong-lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, obtuse or rounded at the apex, cuneate at the base, entire or crisped on the margin, glabrous or with scattered papillae on the undersurface, the upper leaves smaller; petiole of basal leaves 13–30 cm long.
Morphology Leaves Ocrea
Ocrea 0.5–3 cm long, striate, entire, ± caducous Ocrea 0.5–3 cm long, striate, entire, ± caducous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers hermaphrodite, pedicellate, pendulous, in whorls borne in terminal racemose panicles; the basal whorls in the axils of foliaceous bracts; pedicels filiform, articulated near the base Flowers hermaphrodite, pedicellate, pendulous, in whorls borne in terminal racemose panicles; the basal whorls in the axils of foliaceous bracts; pedicels filiform, articulated near the base.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Outer perianth segments brownish, 1–1.5 mm long, oblong-lanceolate; inner perianth segments dark brown, accrescent, 3–4(4.5) × 1.5–2 mm, triangular, usually with an obtuse or lanceolate apex, with or without tubercles but with 5–6 hooked teeth 1–2 mm long on the margin Outer perianth segments brownish, 1–1.5 mm long, oblong-lanceolate; inner perianth segments dark brown, accrescent, 3–4(4.5) × 1.5–2 mm, triangular, usually with an obtuse or lanceolate apex, with or without tubercles but with 5–6 hooked teeth 1–2 mm long on the margin.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 6; filaments filiform; anthers oblong Stamens 6; filaments filiform; anthers oblong.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary trigonous Ovary trigonous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nut pale brown, shiny, 2–2.5(3) × 1.5–2 mm, sharply trigonous. Nut pale brown, shiny, 2–2.5(3) × 1.5–2 mm, sharply trigonous.
Ecology
In wetter montane or submontane areas, in grassland and on margins of rain forest, on stream banks and similar wet places; 700–2000 m.
Distribution
Also in Cameroon, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Dem. Rep. Congo, Angola, South Africa and Madagascar, north to southern Europe and east to SW China. Malawi Zambia ZIM E, ZAM E, MAL N, MAL C, MAL S Zimbabwe
[FZ]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images