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- Polygonaceae
- Rumex
- Rumex persicarioides
Rumex persicarioides — American golden dock
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Facts
N/A
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), brackish or salt marshes and flats, coastal beaches (sea beaches), meadows and fields
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
Characteristics
- Habitat
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Flower petal color
-
- green to brown
- pink to red
- Leaf type
- the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
- there are six petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- Fusion of sepals and petals
- the petals or the sepals are fused into a cup or tube
- Stamen number
- 6
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry but does not split open when ripe
- Fruit length
- 0.9–1.75 mm
-
Clonal plantlets
- Bulbils
- the plant does not appear to have bulbils
- Bulblets replace flowers
- there are no bulblets where the flowers are located
-
Flowers
- Anther opening
- the anthers have narrow slits or furrows that run lengthwise along the anthers
- Anther spurs
- the anthers do not have spurs on them
- Calyx symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the calyx (the calyx is radially symmetrical)
- Carpels fused
- the carpels are fused to one another
- Corolla palate
- no
- Corona lobe length
- 0 mm
- Epicalyx
- the flower does not have an epicalyx
- Epicalyx number of parts
- 0
- Filament surface
- the filament is smooth, with no hairs or scales
- Flower description
- the flower has a superior ovary, and lacks a hypanthium
- Flower petal color
-
- green to brown
- pink to red
- Flower reproductive parts
-
- the flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
- the flower has either only pollen- or only seed-producing parts
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Flowers sunken into stem
- no
- Fused stamen clusters
- NA
- Fusion of sepals and petals
- the petals or the sepals are fused into a cup or tube
- Horns in hoods (Asclepias)
- NA
- Hypanthium
-
- the flower does not have a hypanthium
- the flower has a hypanthium
- Inflorescence one-sided
- the flowers are arrayed in a spiral around the inflorescence axis or branches, or occur singly, or in several ranks
- Inner tepals (Rumex)
-
- the margins of the inner tepals have teeth or spines on them
- two or three of the inner tepals have tubercles
- Nectar spur
- the flower has no nectar spurs
- Number of pistils
- 1
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
- there are six petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- Number of styles
- 3
- Ovary position
- the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
- Perianth shape
- the perianth is campanulate (bell-shaped, with a tube about as long as wide, flaring at the mouth)
- Petal and sepal arrangement
- the flower includes two cycles of petal- or sepal-like structures
- Petal and sepal colors
-
- green to brown
- pink to red
- Petal appearance
- the petals are green and/or leafy in texture
- Petal folds or pleats
- the petals of the flower do not have folds or plaits
- Petal hairs (Viola)
- NA
- Petal number
- 3
- Petal tips (Cuscuta)
- NA
- Reproductive system
- all the flowers have both carpels and stamens (synoecious)
- Scales inside corolla
- no
- Sepal and petal color
- the petals and sepals are similar
- Sepal appearance
- the sepals are green or brown, and leaf-like in texture
- Sepal appendages
- the sepals do not have appendages on them
- Sepal appendages (Oenothera)
- NA
- Sepal color
-
- green to brown
- pink to red
- Sepal number
- 5–6
- Sepals fused only to sepals
- the sepals are fused to each other (not other flower parts), at least near their bases
- Stamen attachment
- the stamens are not attached to the petals or tepals
- Stamen number
- 6
- Stamen position relative to petals
- NA
- Stamens fused
- the stamens are not attached to one another
- Umbel flower reproductive parts
- NA
- Upper lip of bilabiate corolla
- NA
-
Fruits or seeds
- Achene relative orientation
- the achenes are perpendicular to the plane of the perianth (vertical)
- Achene surface (Polygonum)
- NA
- Achene type
- the fruit is an achene (dry, indehiscent, and usually one-seeded)
- Berry color
- NA
- Capsule color (Viola)
- NA
- Capsule ribs
- NA
- Capsule splitting
- NA
- Fruit (pyxis) dehiscence
- NA
- Fruit features (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Fruit length
- 0.9–1.75 mm
- Fruit locules
- one
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry but does not split open when ripe
- Fruit type (specific)
- the fruit is an achene (dry, usually one-seeded, does not separate or split open at maturity)
- Legumes (Fabaceae)
- NA
- Mericarp length
- 0 mm
- Mericarp segment shape (Desmodium)
- NA
- Other markings on berry
- NA
- Ovary stipe
-
- the ovary or fruit does not have a stipe
- the ovary or fruit has a stipe
- Placenta arrangement
- the plant has basal placentation, where one or a few ovules develop at the base of a simple or compound ovary
- Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Schizocarpic fruit compression
- NA
- Schizocarpic fruit segments
- 0
- Septum in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Wings on fruit
- the fruit does not have wings on it
- prickles on fruits
- the fruits do not have thorn-like defensive structures
-
Glands or sap
- Glands on leaf blade
- the leaf blades do not have glandular dots or scales
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
- Sap color
- the sap is clear
-
Growth form
- Growth form
- the plant is an herb (it has self-supporting stems)
- Horizontal rooting stem
- the plant does not have stolons
- Lifespan
-
- the plant lives for two years
- the plant lives only a single year or less
- Parasitism
- the plant is not parasitic
- Plant color
- the leaves or young stems of the plant are green
- Plants darken when dry
- no
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Underground organs
- there are only slender roots on the plant
-
Leaves
- Bracteole number (Apiaceae)
- 0
- Bracts in plantain (Plantago)
- NA
- Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Final leaf segment length to width ratio (compound lvs only)
- 0
- Hairs on underside of leaf
- the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- Hairs on upper side of leaf
- the upper side of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade base
-
- the leaf has a distinct leaf stalk (petiole)
- the leaf has no stalk
- Leaf blade base shape
-
- the base of the leaf blade is cordate (heart-shaped, has rounded lobes at the base)
- the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
- the base of the leaf blade is truncate (ends abruptly in a more or less straight line as though cut off)
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
- Leaf blade length
- 50–300 mm
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is oblong (rectangular but with rounded ends)
- Leaf blade surface colors
- the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color
- Leaf blade width
- 15–50 mm
- Leaf duration
- the leaves drop off in winter (or they whither but persist on the plant)
- Leaf form
- the leaves are green, with an expanded blade and a leaf-like texture
- Leaf spines
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
- Leaf stalk
-
- the leaves have leaf stalks
- the leaves have no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem
- Leaf teeth and lobes
-
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
- the leaf blade margin is wavy, but does not have teeth
- Leaf type
- the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaflet number
- 0
- Leaves per node
- there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Pinnately compound leaf type
- NA
- Specific leaf type
- the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Stipels
- NA
- Stipule features
-
- glabrous on the surface
- the stipules do not have tiny hairs (cilia) at their tips
- Stipules
- the plant has stipules
-
Place
- Habitat
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- brackish or salt marshes and flats
- man-made or disturbed habitats
- meadows or fields
- sea beaches
-
Scent
- Plant odor
- the plant does not have much of a smell
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Branched tendrils
- NA
- Flowering stem cross-section
- the flowering stem is circular, or with lots of small angles so that it is roughly circular
- Hair between stem nodes
- the stem has hairs between the nodes
- Hairs between stem nodes
- the hairs on the stem are plain, without glands or branches, and not tangled
- Hooked hairs on stem between nodes
- no
- Leaves on stem
- there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
- Plant height
- 5–90 cm
- Tendril origin
- NA
- Tendrils
- the plant does not have tendrils
Wetland status
Usually occurs in wetlands, but occasionally in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACW)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
None
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
14. Rumex persicarioides L. n
American golden dock. 14a. Rumex fueginus Phil.; R. maritimus L. var. athrix St. John; R. maritimus L. ssp. fueginus (Phil.) Hultén; R. maritimus L. var. fueginus (Phil.) Dusen; 14b. Rumex maritimus L. var. persicarioides (L.) R.S. Mitchell • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Saline and brackish marshes, Atlantic coast shores, fields, gardens.
1a. Tubercles ± narrow-lanceolate, 0.3–0.4 mm wide, less than ½ as wide as the associated inner tepals exluding the marginal spines, acute to subacute at the apex, brown to red-brown in life; marginal spines of inner tepals 1–3 mm long … 14a. R. persicaroides var. fueginus (Phil.) A. Haines
1b. Tubercles ± elliptic, 0.4–0.6 mm wide, almost as wide as the inner tepals excluding the marginal spines, obtuse at the apex, cream to white-yellow in life; marginal spines of inner tepals 1–1.5 (–1.7) mm long … 14b. R. persicarioides var. persicarioides
Variety fueginus is known from CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. It occurs along the coast as a native halophyte and is introduced inland in fields and disturbed habitats. Variety persicarioides is known from CT, MA, RI. It is restricted to coastal habitats where it is native.