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Western Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

Sheep Sorrel
Rumex acetosella L.

JPG -- Species Photo JPG -- Distribution Map

Family: Smartweed (Polygonaceae)
Flowering: April-September
Field Marks: This species of Rumex is easily recognized by its hastate basal leaves (that is, the leaves have a pair of basal lobes that project at right angles to the main axis of the blade) and the valves on the fruit the same length as
Habitat: Disturbed areas, often in acid soil.
Habit: Perennial herb from slender rhizomes.
Stems: Spreading to ascending, usually unbranched, up to 15 inches long, smooth.
Leaves: Mostly basal, hastate, up to 2 inches long, pointed at the tip, smooth, on long stalks.
Flowers: Very small, in rings (whorls) around the upper part of the stem, the inflorescence slender, up to 6 inches long, yellow or red, with small or no bracts; male and female flowers usually on separate plants.
Sepals: 6, green to yellow to reddish, about 1/20 inch long, united at their base.
Petals: 0.
Stamens: 6.
Pistils: Ovary superior; styles 3.
Fruits: Achenes ellipsoid, about 1/20 inch long, surrounded by 3 valves of about the same length.
Notes: This species is native to Europe. The 3 valves that surround the achene are the persistent inner 3 sepals.

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U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/florawe/species/8/rumeacet.htm
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Page Last Modified: Saturday, 02-Feb-2013 06:28:32 EST
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