| Menu list goes here |
Herbal Database Search Results
Back
to: Pathways Main Search
Page For Metaphysical uses
visit The Witchs Haven
Rumex mexicanus
| Common name: |
Mexican Dock |
Family: |
Polygonaceae |
| Author: |
Meisn. |
Botanical references: |
43, 235 |
| Synonyms: |
Rumex salicifolius mexicanus ((Meisn.)C.L.Hitchc.) |
| Known 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]. |
| Range: |
Western N. America - Newfoundland to British Columbia, south to Maine, Texas and Mexico. |
| Habitat: |
Rich soils, occasionally brackish[43]. |
| Edibility Rating (1-5): |
1 | Medicinal Rating (1-5): | 2 |
| Other Possible Synonyms: | From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below. |
| R. mexicanus var. angustifolius[B,P]
R. mexicanus var. subarcticus[B,P]
R. quadrangulivalvis[B,P]
R. salicifolius[C,]
R. salicifolius ssp. triangulivalvis[B,P]
R. salicifolius var. mexicanus[B,C,CAL,G,P]
R. salicifolius var. triangulivalvis[B,P]
R. subarcticus[B,P]
R. triangulivalvis[B,P]
R. triangulivalvis var. oreolapathum[B,P]
|
| Other Common Names: | From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below. |
| Mexican Dock [P], |
| Epithets: | From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets |
|
canus = grayed due to hairs;
|
| Systematics: | From a USDA
Plants Database |
|
Order: Polygonales. Buckwheat family
|
| Other Range Info: |
From the Ethnobotany Database |
|
Us(Blackfoot)
|
Physical Characteristics
Perennial growing to 1m by 0.5m . It is not frost tender. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Wind.
We rate it 1/5 for edibility and
2/5 for medicinal use.
The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil.
The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in saline soil.
It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade.
It requires moist soil.
Habitats and Possible Locations
Woodland, Sunny Edge, Dappled Shade.Edible Uses
Leaves; Seed.
Young leaves - cooked[46, 61, 105, 161]. Used as greens[257].
Seed - cooked or ground into a powder and used for making gruel or added to
cereal flours and used for making bread[105, 161]. The seed is rather small
and fiddly to harvest.
Medicinal Uses
Disclaimer
Astringent; Emmenagogue; Febrifuge; Hepatic; Infertility; Poultice.
An infusion of the leaves has been taken by childless women to help
them become pregnant[257].
A strong infusion of the root has been used to help a woman become
pregnant[257]. The infusion was taken four times a day (upon rising, at
midday, at sunset and upon going to bed) for a month[257].
An infusion of the leaves has been used in the treatment of sore
throats[257].
A decoction of the white root has been used to regulate the menstrual
cycle[257]. There is a suggestion that it was used to facilitate an abortion.
A decoction of the red root has been used to treat fevers[257].
A poultice of the crushed root has been used to treat burns[257].
A decoction of the plant has been used to treat intestinal disorders and
liver complaints[257]. A decoction of the plant has been used externally to
treat swellings and painful joints[257].
Other Uses
Dye; Tinder.
The dried, crushed roots have been used as a tinder[257].
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[168].
Cultivation details
Succeeds in most soils, preferring a moist moderately fertile
well-drained soil in a sunny position.
Plants succeed outdoors at Cambridge Botanical gardens and are growing well
in &ndndndnd[K].
Propagation
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.
Suppliers
For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.
Web References
References for Rumex salicifolius var. mexicanus (a possible synonym).
References for the family Polygonaceae.
See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.
Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.
[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
[43] Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950
A bit dated but good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.
[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
[161] Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.
A comprehensive but very terse guide. Not for the casual reader.
[168] Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974 ISBN 0-02-544950-8
A very good and readable book on dyeing.
[235] Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970 ISBN 0-486-22642-5
Reprint of a 1913 Flora, but still a very useful book.
[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
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.
[257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
Readers Comments
Main Search Page
Bibliography
Plant information taken from the
Plants For A Future -
Species Database.
Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963 This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Rumex+mexicanus
This page (US) http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Rumex+mexicanus
|
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons License.
(You can copy, distribute, display this works but: Attribution is required, its for Non-Commercial purposes, and it's Share Alike (GNUish/copyleft) i.e. has an identical license.)
We also ask that you let us know (michael@thewitchshaven.com) if
you link to, redistribute, make a derived work or do anything groovy with this information.
|
|
