''Rumex salicifolius'' is a species of flowering perennial plant in the knotweed family known by the common names willow dock and willow-leaved dock. It is native to much of western North America, and more specifically, in southern and central parts of California, and some parts of Arizona and Nevada. It can also be found in parts of Europe as an

introduced species An introduced species, alien species, exotic species, adventive species, immigrant species, foreign species, non-indigenous species, or non-native species is a species living outside its native distributional range, but which has arrived the ...

and a roadside

weed A weed is a plant considered undesirable in a particular situation, "a plant in the wrong place", or a plant growing where it is not wanted.Harlan, J. R., & deWet, J. M. (1965). Some thoughts about weeds. ''Economic botany'', ''19''(1), 16-24. ...

. It is an extremely variable plant which is generally divided into many varieties, some of which may actually be specimens of other species.

Description

In general, it is a perennial herb producing a slender stem which is prostrate and spreading or erect, growing up to about 90 centimeters in maximum length. The leaves are up to about 13 centimeters long and can be most any shape. The

inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed ...

of this plant is an interrupted series of clusters of flowers. There are up to 20 flowers in each cluster, and each flower hangs from a

pedicel Pedicle or pedicel may refer to: Human anatomy *Pedicle of vertebral arch, the segment between the transverse process and the vertebral body, and is often used as a radiographic marker and entry point in vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty procedures ...

. The flower usually has six

tepal A tepal is one of the outer parts of a flower (collectively the perianth). The term is used when these parts cannot easily be classified as either sepals or petals. This may be because the parts of the perianth are undifferentiated (i.e. of very ...

s, the inner three of which are largest and usually have central tubercles. It is an important food and host plant for ''

Lycaena rubidus ''Lycaena rubidus'', the ruddy copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in the western mountains of North America.Zuni people The Zuni ( zun, A:shiwi; formerly spelled ''Zuñi'') are Native American Pueblo peoples native to the Zuni River valley. The Zuni are a Federally recognized tribe and most live in the Pueblo of Zuni on the Zuni River, a tributary of the Littl ...

use the ''mexicanus'' variety medicinally. A strong

infusion Infusion is the process of extracting chemical compounds or flavors from plant material in a solvent such as water, oil or alcohol, by allowing the material to remain suspended in the solvent over time (a process often called steeping). An i ...

of the root is made and given to women by their husbands to help them to become pregnant. The ground root, or an infusion of it, is taken also for sore throat, especially by sword swallowers. This species is also used in the treatment and management of chronic pain of the aboriginal people of the Canadian Boreal Forest. It is used to treat chronic migraine/headache, chronic back pain, and chronic rheumatism/arthritis. In studies it has proven to be successful in aiding people with anti-inflammation and significant pain relief.

References

External links

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Jepson Manual eFlora (TJM2) treatment of ''Rumex salicifolius''

USDA Plants Profile for ''Rumex salicifolius'' (willow dock)

Washington Burke Museum
{{Taxonbar, from=Q7155438 salicifolius Flora of the Northwestern United States Flora of the Southwestern United States Flora of California Flora of the Sierra Nevada (United States) Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands Natural history of the California Coast Ranges Natural history of the Peninsular Ranges Natural history of the Santa Monica Mountains Natural history of the Transverse Ranges Plants used in traditional Native American medicine Flora without expected TNC conservation status