Rumex conglomeratus - Clustered Dock

Clustered Dock is a perennial herb with stem erect, 40-100 cm high, divided from below the middle in numerous widely diverging branches. Basal leaves are rather small, up to 16 x 5 cm, narrowly oblong-ovate, flat, with slightly heart-shaped or flat base and pointed tip, leaf-stalk about as long as the blade. Leaf margins can sometimes be very wavy. Stem leaves upwards gradually smaller and with shorter leaf-stalk. Flowers are borne in numerous whorls, all clearly separated from each other, all supported by a small lanceshaped pointed short stalked leaf. Flower-stalks are short, about as long as the valve, jointed near the middle or slightly below. External tepals are slightly longer than the breadth of the valves. Valves are 2.5-3.2 x 1-1.7 mm, lingulate, entire, all grain bearing; grain very prominent, oblong-ellipsoid, covering a large part of the valve. Nut is 1.3-1.7 mm long, dark brown, broadest slightly below the middle. Clustered Dock is native to Macaronesia, N. & S. Africa, Europe to Central Asia and W. Himalaya.