Rumex crispus
Polygonaceae FAMILY

Rumex crispus

Rumex crispus

Edibility
2/5
Medicinal
3/5

Safety & Hazards

Plants can contain quite high levels of oxalic acid, which is what gives the leaves of many members of this genus an acid-lemon flavour. Perfectly alright in small quantities, the leaves should not be eaten in large amounts since the oxalic acid can lock-up other nutrients in the food, especially calcium, thus causing mineral deficiencies. The oxalic acid content will be reduced if the plant is cooked. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition[ 238 Title Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Publication Author Bown. D. Publisher Dorling Kindersley, London. Year 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31 Description A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant. ].

Botanical Description

Rumex crispus is an erect, unbranched, perennial plant (occasonally biennial) growing from a stout, spindle-shaped rootstock; it can grown arouns 30 - 120cm tall[ 74 Title Flora of the USSR. Publication Author Komarov. V. L. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Israel Program for Scientific Translation Year 1968 ISBN - Description An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet. , 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. Rumex crispus is a widespread weed of cultivation and pastures, having spread to most temperate regions of the globe through human activity[ 365 Title Flora of New South Wales Publication Author Website http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/floraonline.htm Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line resource giving a brief botanical description of all the native plants of New South Wales, their habitat and range, together with diagrams and photographs of the plants. ]. It can be difficult to eradicate because its root is capable of regrowing from even a small section left in the soil[ 74 Title Flora of the USSR. Publication Author Komarov. V. L. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Israel Program for Scientific Translation Year 1968 ISBN - Description An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate; tropical
Native RangeEurasia from western Europe to the Russian Far East, Japan and eastern China, south to Turkey, the Himalayas; Africa - Morocco to Egypt, Arabia
HabitatGrowing almost anywhere[ 5 Title Food for Free. Publication Author Mabey. R. Publisher Collins Year 1974 ISBN 0-00-219060-5 Description Edible wild plants found in Britain. Fairly comprehensive, very few pictures and rather optimistic on the desirability of some of the plants. ], it is found especially in grassy places, waste ground, roadsides and near sand dunes and is a serious weed of agriculture[ 17 Title Flora of the British Isles. Publication Author Clapham, Tutin and Warburg. Publisher Cambridge University Press Year 1962 ISBN - Description A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures. , 244 Title Herbs Publication Author Phillips. R. & Foy. N. Publisher Pan Books Ltd. London. Year 1990 ISBN 0-330-30725-8 Description Deals with all types of herbs including medicinal, culinary, scented and dye plants. Excellent photographs with quite good information on each plant. ].