Rumex crispus
 
Curled Dock

Mature Fruit, Side A

Regina
17-August-2013

Note there are three outer sepals, and three inner sepals which enclose the fruit and are called valves.  On the surface of each valve is a tubercle.  Often the three tubercles are unequal in size, with one large one and two smaller ones.

bullet

Crispus: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species. 
bullet

plants NOT alpine

bullet

plants NOT rhizomatous

bullet

plants with erect stems; NOT [plants with prostrate or ascending stems]

bullet

stem mostly lacking axillary branches below the inflorescence; NOT [stem with axillary branches below the inflorescence]

bullet

leaves cuneate, rounded, truncate or cordate at base;  NOT [leaves hastate or sagittate]

bullet

leaf-margins strongly wavy-curled; NOT [leaf-margins plane or undulate]

bullet

pedicels conspicuously jointed; NOT [pedicels obscurely jointed]

bullet

flowers perfect or mostly so; NOT [flowers unisexual]

bullet

valves not greatly enlarging; NOT [valves greatly enlarging in fruit, becoming bright pink]

bullet

valves 3-6 mm long; NOT [valves 3.5-4 mm long], NOT [valves 1-3 cm across]

bullet

valves entire or nearly so; NOT [valves distinctly lobed or toothed on the margin]

bullet

fruit with 1-3 large grains; NOT [fruit without grains, or with only 1 small grain]

bullet

base of tubercle abutting or exceeding edge of valve; NOT [base of tubercle not reaching edge of valve]

 

bullet

Rumex: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus. 
bullet

NOT [dwarf annual; leaves subopposite; calyx 3-parted; stamens 3]

bullet

leaves with stipules

bullet

leaves lanceolate; NOT [leaves reniform]

bullet

flowers not in involucrate clusters; NOT [flower clusters subtended by an involucre of bracts]

bullet

stamens 8 or fewer; NOT [stamens 9]

bullet

stigmas tufted

bullet

sepals 6; NOT [sepals 4], NOT [sepals 5, more or less equal]

bullet

inner sepals enclosing the fruit; NOT [inner sepals erect]

bullet

fruit winged; NOT [fruit wingless]

 

bullet

Polygonaceae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  leading to this family. 
bullet

herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]

bullet

land plants; NOT [water plants]

bullet

plants not parasitic on trees, rooted in soil or water; NOT [plants parasitic on branches of trees]

bullet

plants with stems or stemless, but with more than one pair of leaves; NOT [plants stemless with a single pair of large reniform leaves, calyx 3-lobed]

bullet

leaves alternate; NOT [leaves opposite]

bullet

stipules forming a sheath above nodes; NOT [stipules membranous], NOT [leaves without stipules]

bullet

flowers with only one floral ring, with sepals but not petals

bullet

stamens and pistils in each flower; NOT [stamens or pistils in separate flowers on the same plant]