Rumex acetosella

Rumex acetosella
Rumex acetosella
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Core eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Polygonaceae
Genus: Rumex
Species: R. acetosella
Binomial name
Rumex acetosella
L.

Rumex acetosella is a species of sorrel, also known as Acetosella vulgaris Fourr,[1] bearing the common names sheep's sorrel, red sorrel, sour weed, and field sorrel. The plant and its subspecies are common perennial weeds. It has green arrowhead-shaped leaves and red-tinted deeply ridged stems, and it sprouts from an aggressive rhizome. The flowers emerge from a tall, upright stem. Female flowers are maroon in color.

Contents

Growth

The plant is native to Eurasia but has been introduced to most of the rest of the northern hemisphere although Stace (1992) has informed that it is native to the British Isles. In North America it is a common weed in fields, grasslands, and woodlands. It favors moist soil, so it thrives in floodplains and near marshes. It is often one of the first species to take hold in disturbed areas, such as abandoned mining sites, especially if the soil is acidic. Livestock will graze on the plant, but it is not very nutritious and contains oxalates which make the plant toxic if grazed in large amounts.

R. acetosella is a host plant for Lycaena phlaeas, also known as the American Copper or Small Copper butterfly.

Characteristics

R. acetosella is a perennial herb that has an upright stem that is slender and reddish in color, and branched at top, reaching a height of 18 inches (0.5 meters). The arrow-shaped leaves are simple, slightly more than 1 inch (3 cm) in length, and smooth with a pair of horizontal lobes at base. Flowers from March to November, when yellowish-green flowers (male) or reddish (female) flowers develop on separate plants, at the apex of the stem. Fruits are red achenes.

Sheep's sorrel is widely considered to be a noxious weed, and one that is hard to control due to its spreading rhizome. Blueberry farmers are familiar with the weed, due to its ability to thrive in the same conditions under which blueberries are cultivated. It is commonly considered by farmers as an Indicator plant of the need for liming.

Culinary uses

There are several uses of sheep sorrel in the preparation of food including a garnish, a tart flavoring agent, a salad green, and a curdling agent for cheese. The leaves have a lemony, tangy or nicely tart flavor.

Medicinal uses

Sheep Sorrel contains constituents including beta carotene, tartaric acid, oxalates (oxalic acid), anthraquinones (chrysophanol, emodin, Rhein), glycosides like hyperoside, the quercitin-3d-galactoside.

It has a number of purported uses and folk remedies that include treatment for inflammation, cancer, diarrhea, scurvy and fever. A tea made from the stem and leaves can be made to act as a diuretic. It also has certain astringent properties and uses. Other historical uses include that of a vermifuge, as the plant allegedly contains compounds toxic to intestinal parasites (worms).

The entire plant, including the root, is used as a cancer treatment,[citation needed] and is a primary ingredient in a preparation commonly referred to by the name Essiac.

Revegetation in the Australian Alps

From the 1950s, the New South Wales Soil Conservation Service undertook an extensive program of rehabilitation of the vegetation of the Carruthers PeakMount Twynam area, which was in sore need of help after a century of grazing. They tried various methods using bitumen, wire netting and bales of straw, however none were very successful[vague]. However, Sheep Sorrel was present in the bales of straw, and in fact helped to hold the soil for recolonisation by the native vegetation.

Notes

References

External links


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Rumex acetosella —   Rumex acetosella …   Wikipedia Español

  • Rumex acetosella — Kleiner Sauerampfer Kleiner Sauerampfer (Rumex acetosella) Habitus Systematik Unterklasse: Nelkenähnlic …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Rumex acetosella — Petite oseille Petite oseille …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Rumex Acetosella — Sorrel Sor rel, n. [F. surelle, fr. sur sour, fr. OHG. s?r sour. See {Sour}.] (Bot.) One of various plants having a sour juice; especially, a plant of the genus {Rumex}, as {Rumex Acetosa}, {Rumex Acetosella}, etc. [1913 Webster] {Mountain… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Rumex Acetosella — Sorrel Sor rel, n. [F. surelle, fr. sur sour, fr. OHG. s?r sour. See {Sour}.] (Bot.) One of various plants having a sour juice; especially, a plant of the genus {Rumex}, as {Rumex Acetosa}, {Rumex Acetosella}, etc. [1913 Webster] {Mountain… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Rumex Acetosella — Sorrel Sor rel, n. [F. surelle, fr. sur sour, fr. OHG. s?r sour. See {Sour}.] (Bot.) One of various plants having a sour juice; especially, a plant of the genus {Rumex}, as {Rumex Acetosa}, {Rumex Acetosella}, etc. [1913 Webster] {Mountain… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Rumex acetosella — smulkioji rūgštynė statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Rūgtinių šeimos vaistinis nuodingas augalas (Rumex acetosella), paplitęs šiaurės Afrikoje, Europoje ir vakarų Azijoje. atitikmenys: lot. Rumex acetosella angl. sheep sorrel; sorrel šaltinis …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • Rumex acetosella L. — многол.; V–VII Сем. Polygonaceae – Гречишные 92. Род Rumex L. – Щавель 208. Щавель малый Syn rus: Щавелек См. Rumex acetosella L. – Щавель малый Сухие водораздельные луга, сорное в посевах. Часто, по всему заповеднику …   Флора Центрально-лесного государственного заповедника

  • Rumex Acetosella — Sheep Sheep, n. sing. & pl. [OE. shep, scheep, AS. sc?p, sce[ a]p; akin to OFries. sk?p, LG. & D. schaap, G. schaf, OHG. sc[=a]f, Skr. ch[=a]ga. [root]295. Cf. {Sheepherd}.] 1. (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of several species of ruminants of the genus… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Rumex acetosella — ID 73475 Symbol Key RUAC3 Common Name common sheep sorrel Family Polygonaceae Category Dicot Division Magnoliophyta US Nativity Introduced to U.S. US/NA Plant Yes State Distribution AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN,… …   USDA Plant Characteristics

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