Polygonaceae
Rumex

Rumex pulcher L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 336 (1753)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Azores, Europe to Medit. and Iran. It is an annual or perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
A spreading much branched perennial herb up to 1 m tall
Morphology Stem
Stems erect, longitudinally striate, often papillate; branches usually spreading-flexuose, entangled or sometimes arcuate
Morphology Leaves
Leaves ± fleshy, shortly petiolate; lamina (1)3.5–14(20) × 0.5–5(6) cm, ovate-oblong, slightly cordate at the base, crenulate on the margin, the lower leaves pandurate and obtuse at the apex, the upper leaves lanceolate and acute at the apex, papillate or hairy on the nerves beneath
Morphology Leaves Ocrea
Ocrea 0.5–2 cm long, striate, entire
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers hermaphrodite, pedicellate, arranged in distant many-flowered whorls, borne in spreading panicles 15–60 cm in length; panicle branches patent and flexuose, often leafy at the base and naked above; pedicels 0.2–0.3 mm in diameter, articulated at or slightly below the middle, unequal
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Outer perianth segments reddish-pink, 1.2–1.5 × 0.3–0.5 mm, oblong-lanceolate, membranous; inner perianth segments reddish-brown, 3.5–4.5 × 1.5–2 mm, triangular-ovate or ovate-oblong, cuneate to rounded at the base, acute at the apex, reticulate-veined with an oblong dorsal tubercle (often rough), the margin with 6(7) teeth 1–2 mm long near the base, entire to the apex
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 6; filaments up to 1.5 mm long, filiform; anthers 0.2 × 0.3 mm, oblong
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary 2–3 mm long, trigonous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nut dark purplish-brown, shiny, 3–4 mm long, trigonous.
Ecology
Disturbed wet places; c. 1450 m.
Note
Three other subspecies are recognised in the Mediterranean region, see K.H. Rechinger, revised Akeroyd in Flora Europaea, ed. 2, 1: 106 (1993). The above specimen, the only one seen from the Flora Zambesiaca area, was recorded as a weed in lucerne fields with Urochloa panicoides, Sporobolus pyramidalis, Eragrostis and Trifolium.
Distribution
Zimbabwe Native of Europe, naturalized in western Asia, America, north and southern Africa and the Mascarene Islands. ZIM C
[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]

Ghazanfar, S. A. & Edmondson, J. R (Eds). (2016) Flora of Iraq, Volume 5 Part 1: Elatinaceae to Sphenocleaceae.

Morphology General Habit
Biennial (sometimes annual) or short-lived perennial, 20–50 cm tall, much-branched, often tangled
Morphology Leaves
Basal leaves 4–10 × 3.5–5 cm, oblong or sometimes panduriform, truncate or cordate at the base, obtuse
Morphology Stem
Stem leaves few, oblong or lanceolate, subacute
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Panicle with numerous arcuate-divaricate branches and flowers in remote whorls, a few with subsessile leafy bracts
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel
Pedicels thick, rigid; fruiting flowers often persisting on old stems
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nut × 1.5 mm, trigonous, dark brown. Valves 4–6 × 3–4 mm, ovate-triangular or suborbicular, truncate or subcordate at the base, with prominent reticulation of veins; usually all bearing unequal, oblong rugose tubercles
Distribution
Distribution of species: S and W Europe, N Africa, SW Asia; introduced in N America and elsewhere.
[FIQ]

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 Iraq

    • Ghazanfar, S. A., Edmondson, J. R. (Eds). (2013-2019). Flora of Iraq, Volumes 5.1, 5.2 and 6.0. Kew Publishing
    • 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 2024. 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 2024. 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