Aquatic and Wetland Vascular Plants of the Northern Great Plains
15. Polygonaceae, the Smartweed Family
2. Rumex L. -- Dock5. Rumex occidentalis S. Wats. --Western dock
Stout, taprooted perennial 5-15(20) dm tall, usually single-stemmed and unbranched below the panicle, with large, long-petioled basal leaves and smaller, shorter-petioled cauline leaves. Basal leaf blades oblong-ovate to oblong-lanceolate, 10-40 cm long, ca. 1/4 to 1/3 as wide, flat to somewhat crisp-margined, truncate to cordate at the base. Panicle large, rather narrow, sparsely leafy-bracteate in the lower portion, the branches ascending; pedicels mostly 1-2X the length of the valves, obscurely jointed near the middle. Valves rotund-ovate to triangular-ovate, cordate at the base, 3-10 mm long and about as wide, nearly entire to denticulate toward the base, lacking tubercles; achenes 3.5-4.5 mm long. Jul--Aug. Wet meadows, ditches and other moist or wet places; ND, MT, SD and WY; occasional; (Newf. and Que. to AK, s to ME, MN, SD, NM and CA).
Previous Species -- Rumex mexicanus Meisn. -- Mexican dock, willow-leaved dock
Return to Family -- Polygonaceae - The Smartweed Family
Next Species -- Rumex orbiculatus A. Gray -- Great water dock
