Swamp Dock

(Rumex verticillatus)

 

   

 

 

Color Photograph: Copyright Nearctica.com, Inc.

Line Drawing: Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada, Second Edition.

 

Swamp Dock (Rumex verticillatus L.)

Identification: Flowers small, green, on long flower stalks, hanging downward. Flowers arranged in terminal spikes and lateral branches. Fruit heart-shaped with a small, central seed surround by papery wings with smoother outer margins and an acute apex.. Leaves elongate, large, petioles commonly tinged with red. Plant 2 to 4 feet in height.

Distribution: Quebec to Ontario, southward to Iowa, Florida, and Texas.

Habitat: Swamp Dock is found in swamps and along the mudflats of lakes and rivers.

Flowering period:  May to July.

Similar Species:  Swamp Dock is similar to serveral other species of Rumex. Water Dock is a larger species with slightly wavy leaves. The seeds of Water Dock have round papery wings and the outer margins of the wings are rough. In contrast the wings of Swamp Dock are heart-shaped and the outer margins are smooth. The flowers stalks (pedicels) of Patience Dock (Rumex patientia) (not treated here) are shorter than those of Swamp Dock.

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