Rumex palustris, or marsh dock,[1] is a plant species of the genus Rumex, found in Europe. The species is a dicot belonging to the family Polygonaceae. The species epithetpalustris is Latin for "of the marsh" which indicates its common habitat.[2]
Description
Rumex palustris is an herb that can be perennial, biennial, or annual.[3] The stem is upwardly inclined and bears sparse hairy protuberances.[4] The stem is less than one meter tall. The branch attachment is alternate. The basal leaves are lanceolate; they are broader in the middle and taper to a pointed end. The cauline leaves are also lanceolate. The inflorescence consists of whorls with reddish-brown flowers. The root is wider at the middle and tapers towards the end.
The species name was first mentioned by Leonard Plukenet, based on a collection made by Isaac Rand.[6] The authority of the accepted description, Rumex palustris, was James Edward Smith, in Fl. Brit. volume 1, on page 394 in 1800.[7][8]
Rumex palustris can be found in wetlands such as moist meadows, marshes, lake shores and the shallow edges of streams. It is native to Europe and is concentrated in the Southeastern and Middle parts of the continent.[11] The species was also introduced to America; it now grows in California and New Jersey.[12]
Uses
Rumex palustris is used as a model organism for research.[13] Most studies involve flood-resistance in Rumex palustris due to its unique mechanism to elongate in an effort to outgrow submergence.[14][15] When flooded, Rumex palustris is able to elongate its petioles in order to emerge from the surface of the water.[16] This mechanism is a beneficial adaptation for Rumex palustris to survive its wetland habitat and is being studied for research on plant stress resistance.[17]
^Dawson, J.E. 1979. A biosystematic study of Rumex section Rumex in Canada and the United States.Ph.D. thesis. Carleton University, Ottawa.
^Strid, A.; Andersson, I.A. (1985). "Chromosome numbers of Greek mountain plants. An annotated list of 115 species". Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie. 1–127, 1881–2009 – via Tropicos.
^Peeters, Anton J.M.; Cox, Marjolein C.H.; Benschop, Joris J.; Vreeburg, Robert A.M.; Bou, Jordi; Voesenek, Laurentius A.C.J. (1 March 2002). "Submergence research using Rumex palustris as a model; looking back and going forward". Journal of Experimental Botany. 53 (368): 391–398. doi:10.1093/jexbot/53.368.391. ISSN1460-2431. PMID11847236.
^Vriezen, Wim H.; De Graaf, Barend; Mariani, Celestina; Voesenek, Laurentius A. C. J. (16 May 2000). "Submergence induces expansin gene expression in flooding-tolerant Rumex palustris and not in flooding-intolerant R. acetosa". Planta. 210 (6): 956–963. doi:10.1007/s004250050703. ISSN0032-0935. PMID10872228. S2CID10963037.