RUMEX BUCEPHALOPHORUS subsp. BUCEPHALOPHORUS

Family and Genus:- See- POLYGONACEAE/Subgen. PLATYPODIUM

Common Names:- Horned or red dock.

Homotypic Synonyms:- Bucephalophora aculeata, Bucephalophora aculeata

subsp. hispanica, Rumex bucephalophorus ssp. graecus.

Meaning:- Rumex (L) A name used by the Roman naturalist and philosopher Pliny

for sorrel.

Bucephalophorus (L) Ox-head bearing.

General description:- Very variable low to medium annual

Stems:-

1) 5-15(-20) cm. one to several, ascending to erect, simple or sparsely branched.

Leaves:-

1) Alternate, petiolate, simple, entire, from 10-20 mm long, blade with cuneate base

a) lower, spatulate, not more than 3½ times as long as wide.

b) upper, lanceolate hairy.

Flowers:-

1) Inflorescence, a simple or branched raceme with flowers in clusters of 2 or 3,

often occupying most of plant.

2) Flowers and pedicels, usually dimorphic, filiform or becoming flattened and

dilated after anthesis, recurved in fruit and often tinged crimson or purple.

3) Pedicels, heteromorphic, some cylindrical and short, others long, curved, convex

and clavately thickened.

Fruit:-

1) Nutlet, sharply triquetrous, brown.

2) Fruiting valves, triangular with 2-3(-4) broad teeth at the base on each side.

Key features:-

1) Teeth of the valves, straight or slightly curved.

2) Lower leaves, not more than 3½ times as long as wide.

3) Flowers in clusters of 2-4.

4) All valves broadly triangular, with 2(3) stout teeth on each margin.

Click here for a glossary of terms used

Habitat:- Coastal sand, rocky and stony places, open ground in dry open shrubby

vegetation, sometimes in fallow fields, road embankments and ruderal habitats. 0-

800(-1400) m.

Distribution:- Mediterranean region, E. to W. Turkey, including Portugal but not

Cyprus. Widespread and common on Crete, but more so in the west.

Flowering time:- Late Mar-June.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton