Broad-leaved dock

Appearance

''Rumex obtusifolius'' is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant that grows to a height of 50 to 130 cm . It is easily recognizable by its very large oval leaves with cordate bases and rounded tips, some of the lower leaves having red stems. The edges of the leaves are slightly "crisped" or wavy, the upper surface is hairless and the under surface may be papillose. The leaves of this plant can grow to about 40 cm in length. The stems are tough, often reddish, and unbranched until just below the inflorescence. The junctions of the petioles with the stems are covered by a sheath formed by two fused stipules known as an ocrea, a thin, paper-like membrane - a characteristic of the Polygonaceae family. The stem leaves are alternate and are narrowly ovate–lanceolate. The inflorescence consists of large clusters of racemes which contain small greenish flowers that change to red as they mature. The perianth-segments are in two whorls of three. Segments in the outer whorl are small and spreading while the inner whorl forms fruit valves, which are widely ovately-triangular. The seeds produced are dry and reddish brown. This plant blooms June through September.

''Rumex crispus'' - curly dock - is very similar in appearance but with thinner and wavier leaves. In more detail, the calyx of curly dock has smooth margins while the calyx of broad-leaved dock has horned margins.

Naming

''Rumex'' is Pliny’s name for sorrel.

''Obtusifolius'' means 'obtuse-leaved' .

Distribution

''Rumex obtusifolius'' is widely distributed throughout the world. It is a plant of arable land, meadows, waste ground, roadsides, ditches and shorelines.

Seedlings can be identified by the oval leaves with red stems and rolled leaves sprouting from the center of the plant.

Habitat

''Rumex obtusifolius'' is widely distributed throughout the world. It is a plant of arable land, meadows, waste ground, roadsides, ditches and shorelines.

Seedlings can be identified by the oval leaves with red stems and rolled leaves sprouting from the center of the plant.

Uses

The dock leaves contain oxalic acid and the roots contain tannic acid. Broad-leaved dock leaves have been used to soothe burns, blisters, and nettle stings. A tea prepared from the root was thought to cure boils....hieroglyph snipped...In George Eliot's ''Adam Bede'', set in the early 19th century, broad dock leaves are used to wrap farmhouse butter.