Rumex crispus (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Rumex crispus L.

Protologue: Sp. pl. 1: 335 (1753).

Family: Polygonaceae

Rumex crispus L. - 1, flowering and fruiting branch; 2, flower; 3, pistil; 4, nutlets with perianth; 5, nutlet

Vernacular names

• Curly dock, curled dock, yellow dock (En)
• Vietnam: dương đề nhăn.

Distribution

Originating from Europe, now widespread throughout the world, from temperate to (sub)tropical regions, including Vietnam and Java.

Uses

In Vietnam, a decoction of the plant is taken for fever. In Taiwan, a vapour bath of the leaves is used to relieve the eyes.

Observations

• A perennial herb, 30-150 cm tall, sparingly branched, stem reddish, taproot carrot-like, 20-30(-150) cm long.
• Basal leaves narrowly lanceolate to oblanceolate, 10-30 cm × 2-8 cm, 4-5 times longer than wide, base shallowly cordate, rounded, truncate or cuneate, apex acute to obtuse, margins undulate or crisped, petiole shorter than blade, 10-12 cm long.
• Inflorescence a dense raceme, branches erect or ascending, lower flower whorls somewhat remote.
• Flower bisexual, inner perianth segments enlarged in fruit, 3-3.5(-6) mm long, entire to subentire, at least one segment tuberculate.
• Nutlet 2.5-3 mm long.

R. crispus is a weed of cropped land, along humid roadsides and waste places, in Java at 1250-2100 m altitude. Sometimes var. japonicus (Houtt.) Makino (formerly R. japonicus Houtt.) is recognized, which has a cordate leaf base, and distinctly denticulate valves of the perianth.

Selected sources

• [74] Backer, C.A. & Bakhuizen van den Brink Jr, R.C., 1964—1968. Flora of Java. 3 volumes. Noordhoff, Groningen, the Netherlands. Vol. 1 (1964) 647 pp., Vol. 2 (1965) 641 pp., Vol. 3 (1968) 761 pp.
• [440] Holm, J., Doll, J. & Holm, E., 1997. World weeds: natural histories and distribution. Wiley, New York, United States. 1129 pp.
• [455] Huang, T.-C. (Editor), 1993—. Flora of Taiwan. 2nd Edition. Editorial Committee of the Flora of Taiwan, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
• [647] Mansfeld, R., 1986. Verzeichnis landwirtschaftlicher und gärtnerischer Kulturpflanzen (ohne Zierpflanzen) [Register of agricultural and horticultural plants in cultivation (without ornamentals)]. Schultze-Motel, J. et al. (Editors). 2nd Edition. 4 volumes. Springer Verlag, Berlin, Germany. 1998 pp.
• [696] Morton, J.F., 1981. Atlas of medicinal plants of Middle America. Bahamas to Yucatan. Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, Illinois, United States. 1420 pp.
• [788] Pételot, A., 1952—1954. Les plantes médicinales du Cambodge, du Laos et du Vietnam [The medicinal plants of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam]. 4 volumes. Centre National de Recherches Scientifiques et Techniques, Saigon, Vietnam.
• [810] Quisumbing, E., 1978. Medicinal plants of the Philippines. Katha Publishing Co., Quezon City, the Philippines. 1262 pp.
• [838] A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon (various editors), 1980—2000. Volume 1—9. Amerind Publishing Co., New Delhi, India. Volume 10—14. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
• [1092] Xiaoshui, W., 1991. Gastrophysa atrocyanea (Col: Chrysomelidae), an agent for biological control of the dock, Rumex japonicus (Polygonaceae) in China. Tropical Pest Management 37(4): 383—386.

Main genus page

• Rumex (Medicinal plants)

Authors

• Nguyen Thi Do