Flora of the Southeastern United States

*Acetosa acetosella (Linnaeus) P. Miller. Common name: Red Dock, Sheep Sorrel, Sourgrass, Field Sorrel. Phenology: Mar-Sep; May-Nov. Habitat: Pastures, fields, roadsides, rock outcrops, grassy balds, gardens. Distribution: Native of Eurasia. Variation in Acetosa acetosella has been studied in considerable detail in Eurasia, and a number of infrataxa named; the application of these to North American material is unclear at this time.

Origin/Endemic status: Eurasia

Taxonomy Comments: Variation in this species remains poorly understood. Rumex acetosella ssp. pyrenaicus (Pourret ex Lapeyrouse) Akeroyd, a hexaploid subspecies from western Europe, is apparently the predominant naturalized subspecies in North America. See Mosyakin in FNA (2005) and the references cited therein for further information.

Synonymy ⓘ: = Acetosella acetosella (L.) Small — S; = Rumex acetosella L. — Ar, C, Can, Fl4, FNA5, G, GrPl, GW2, Il, K4, Mi, Mo3, NcTx, Pa, RAB, S13, Tat, Tn, Tx, Va, W, WH3, WV; = Rumex acetosella L. ssp. pyrenaicus (Pourr. ex Lapeyr.) Akeroyd — Stace (2021); < Acetosella vulgaris (Koch) Fourr.; > Acetosella vulgaris (Koch) Fourr. ssp. pyrenaica (Pourr. ex Lapeyr.) Á.Löve — Löve (1983); > Acetosella vulgaris (Koch) Fourr. ssp. vulgaris — Löve (1983); > Rumex acetosella L. ssp. pyrenaicus (Pourr. ex Lapeyr.) Akeroyd — NE, NY; > Rumex acetosella L. var. acetosella — F; > Rumex acetosella L. var. pyrenaeus (Pourr. ex Lapeyr.) Timbal-Lagrave — F, orthographic error. Basionym: Rumex acetosella L. 1753

Links to other floras: = Rumex acetosella - FNA5

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU (name change)
• Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: UPL (name change)
• Great Plains: FAC (name change)
• Midwest: FACU (name change)
• Northcentral & Northeast: FACU (name change)