Species

Rumex acetosella

Etymology

Rumex: sorrel
acetosella: sour

Common Name(s)

sheep's sorrel

Family

Polygonaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Exotic

NVS Species Code

RUMACE

The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs other than Composites

Similar Taxa

Roots and rootstocks extensive but rather shallow. Stems 15 to 45 cm high, slender, upright, branched at top. Several stems may arise from 1 crown. Leaves are arrow-shaped, 2.5 to 7.5 cm long, thick, smooth, acid to the taste. Early growth consists of a rosette of basal leaves. Flowers borne on raceme near top of plant. Male and female flowers borne on different plants. (Wax, Fawcett and Isely 1981).

Flower Colours

Red / Pink,White

Year Naturalised

1867

Origin

Europe

Seed
Seeds, 3-sided, reddish-brown, shiny. Hull reddish-brown, rough, often adhering to the seed. (Wax, Fawcett and Isely 1981).

This page last updated on 30 Jul 2014