Rumex verticillatus L.

Swamp Dock; Whorled Water Dock

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Swamp Dock is a native herbaceous perennial in the Buckwheat family (Polygonaceae). It can be found in scattered locations across Alabama but is most common in the Black Belt region. Swamp Dock occurs in wooded swamps, around sloughs, along slow-moving streams, in swamps, and in wet roadside ditches. It is almost always found in shallow standing water. It is a perennial with a large tap root. Stems are usually solitary, unbranched below the inflorescence, erect, and 1-2 feet in length. The stems are green in color and glabrous. Leaves are alternate, petiolate, lanceolate in outline, glabrous, with entire, slightly undulate margins. At the base of each petiole there is a papery sheath that wraps around the stem (the ocreae). Flowers are produced in terminal panicles consisting of whorls of staminate and pistillate flowers. The flowers and fruit are on reflexed peduncles that are approximately 1-inch long. The flowers have 3 inner tepals that are ovate triangular in outline, longer than wide, with entire margins. The 3 outer sepals are keeled. The fruit is an achene. In fruit the outer 3 sepals enlarge and have a prominent midrib tubercle and are transversely wrinkled. The fruit of Swamp Dock is consumed by ducks and other waterfowl.--A. Diamond

**

Native FACW (NWPL)

**