Aquatic and Wetland Vascular Plants of the Northern Great Plains
15. Polygonaceae, the Smartweed Family
2. Rumex L. -- Dock7. Rumex patientia L. -- Patience dock
Similar to R. crispus but averaging larger and paler green in color, 8-20 dm tall; stems 1-few, erect. Basal leaves long-petioled, the blades ovate-lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, (2)3-4X longer than wide, to 15 cm wide, flat to undulate, broadly cuneate to truncate at the base; cauline leaves reduced upward. Panicle large and dense, with a few reduced leafy bracts, the branches ascending; pedicels equaling or longer than the valves, swollen-jointed near or below the middle. Valves rotund-ovate, strongly cordate at the base and ultimately forcing the small outer sepals into a reflexed position, (5)6-9 mm long (including lobes of the cordate base), at least as wide, entire to denticulate; tubercle on one of the valves only, to about 1/3 the length of the valve and only about 1/6 as wide; achenes brown, 3-3.5 mm long. Jun--Jul. Wet meadows, ditches, shores and waste places; uncommon and scattered; (Intro. from Eurasia and locally established in many parts of N.Amer.).
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