Phil Bendle Collection:Rumex sagittatus (Climbing Dock)

kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Polygonaceae
Genus: Rumex
Scientific  name: Rumex sagittatus
Synonym: Acetosa sagittata
Common names: Climbing dock, Creeping dock, Rambling dock, 

The climbing dock is a low climbing or scrambling herb with tuberous woody rootstock of the Kumara-like tuber with extensive rhizomes. Arrow-head shaped leaves 30-80 x 20-60 mm. Spikes of small, attractive yellow-pink flowers Nov-Mar are very distinctive and are followed by green or reddish fruits. It lives in coastal areas, road and railway verges, wastelands, near hedges and settled areas and is common and widespread. Seeds are dispersed by the wind but also spreads locally by creeping, rooting stems & extensive tubers.Impact on the environment: Smothers native plants.

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Climbing dock early stage flowers
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Flowers in pink stage
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Tuber and root system of Rumex sagittatus 
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Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/  

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