Rumex conglomeratus
| Rumex conglomeratus | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 3' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Late Summer |
| Meadows Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Rumex conglomeratus (common name: sharp dock)
Propagation: Seed - sow spring in situ.
Division in spring.
Cultivation: Succeeds in most soils but prefers a deep fertile moderately heavy soil that is humus-rich, moisture-retentive but well-drained and a position in full-sun or part shade[1].
This species is often confused with R. sanguineus[2].
Range: Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to N. Africa, W. Asia.
Habitat: Damp grassy places, sometimes also found in woods[2].
Edibility: Leaves - cooked[3]. Eaten as greens[4]. Very bitter, especially as the leaves grow older[K].
Seed - raw or cooked. It can be ground into a powder and added to flours when making bread, biscuits etc[5]. The seed is small and fiddly to harvest.
Medicinal: The root is antiscorbutic and astringent[6]. An infusion is taken internally in the treatment of scurvy and as a general blood cleanser. This infusion is also useful in the treatment of bleeding[6]. Externally it is made into an ointment and applied to cutaneous eruptions[6][4]. The root is harvested in early spring and dried for later use[6].
A decoction of the leaves is used in the treatment of several skin diseases[6].
Usage: Dark green to brown and dark grey dyes can be obtained from the roots of many species in this genus, They do not need a mordant[7].
Pollinators: Wind
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: Plants can contain quite high levels of oxalic acid, which is what gives the leaves of many members of this genus an acid-lemon flavour. Perfectly alright in small quantities, the leaves should not be eaten in large amounts since the oxalic acid can lock-
Also Known As: R. acutus. R. glomeratus.
Links
References
- ↑ Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ Kavasch, Barrie. Native Harvests. Vintage Books, 1979.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ Grae, Ida. Nature's Colors. MacMillan Publishing, 1974.