Rumex Alluvius, a New Species of Dock from Kansas

Abstract

Early-in the 1930's a poor specimen of a Rumex from central was brot to the attention of one of us (F. C. Gates) but it could not be satisfactorily placed thru any of the manuals available. Later on, in the thirties, a poor specimen from near Salina was found by John Hancin which did not permit specific identification. Some years later S. V. Fraser, of Aurora, Kans., sent in a specimen which he had grown from seeds given him by John Hancin that had come from the Platte River in Nebraska. John Hancin also sent specimens to R. L. McGregor in September, 1943. Two years later, S. V. Fraser found good specimens along the Republican river in Cloud County, Kansas. In 1948, McGregor gathered good specimens along the Kansas river north of Lawrence and in Kearney County in the Arkansas river system. In 1949, it was collected from other localities along the Kansas river. All these were obviously the same plant but did not fit into the available descriptions. With the appearance of Rechinger's monograph of American Rumex, these specimens still could not be placed. As these plants were being found in several places the entity deserves greater recognition than to pass it off as a mere sport. In all cases the plant has been found in alluvial soil along rivers or oxbows, forming colonies maintaining the distinctive character. Under such circumstances it seems well to give it a name and technical description which follows. The Latin description is made to follow the style of Rechinger in his monograph. (Rechinger, K. H., Jr. The North American species of Rumex. Field Museum Bot. Series, Vol. 17: 1-151, 1937.)