Curly Dock (Rumex crispus)
- Family: Smartweed (Polygonaceae)
- Flowering: April-May.
- Field Marks: This species is readily distinguished by its wavy-edged leaves up to 3 inches broad.
- Habitat: Along streams and rivers, around ponds, fields, roadsides, roadside ditches.
- Habit: Biennial or perennial herb with a taproot.
- Stems: Erect, striate, unbranched, up to 3 1/4 feet tall.
- Leaves: Basal and alternate, broadly lanceolate, short-pointed at the tip, rounded or tapering to the base, strongly wavy along the edges, smooth, up to 10 inches long, up to 3 inches broad.
- Flowers: Many in whorls in terminal, much-branched spikes; each flower greenish, borne on slender, drooping stalks up to 1/2 inch long.
- Sepals: 6, greenish, up to 1/10 inch long.
- Petals: 0.
- Stamens: 6.
- Pistils: Ovary superior, with 3 styles.
- Fruits: Fruits 3-winged; each wing broadly ovate, up to 1/4 inch long, smooth, rounded at the tip, usually bearing a wart-like tubercle.
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