Practical
Plants

Rumex brownii

Swamp Dock

a perennial member of the Rumex genus in the family Polygonaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Rumex
Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.6 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

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[7].

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Leaves - cooked[1]. The leaves can be up to 30cm long and, cooked with their midrib removed, they make a fine substitute for leaf beet[5]. The roasted root is a coffee substitute[5]

Product or use
Coffee
Plant part
Leaves

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A rich yellow dye is obtained from the root if it is fixed with alum[5]. Although no specific mention has been made for this species, dark green to brown and dark grey dyes can be obtained from the roots of many species in this genus, They do not need a mordant[3].

Product or use
Dye

Environment

Range
Australia - New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria. Casual in Britain[4].
Habitat
Moist places such as the banks of creeks, often in clay soils, in the montane and sub-alpine zones[2]. Often found as a weed of damp lawns and pastures in Australia[5].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division in spring.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in most soils but prefers a deep fertile moderately heavy soil that is humus-rich, moisture-retentive but well-drained and a position in full-sun or part shade[6]. This species is sometimes introduced into Britain via bales of wool from Australia and it then persists for a few years[4].

References

  1. Cribb. A. B. and J. W. Wild Food in Australia. Fontana 1976-00-00 ISBN 0-00-634436-4

    ↩

  2. Ewart. A. J. Flora of Victoria.

    ↩

  3. Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-02-544950-8

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  4. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  5. Low. T. Wild Food Plants of Australia. Angus and Robertson. 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-207-14383-8

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  6. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩

  7. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩

  8. Carolin. R. & Tindale. M. Flora of the Sydney Region Reed. Australia. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0730104001

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