410714-16 The Rumex acetosa aggregate R. acetosa, R. lapponicus, R. pseudoxyria
Geography: Amphi-Atlantic - European - Asian - amphi-Beringian - Cordilleran.
Notes: There are several options for handling the polymorphy in Rumex acetosa s. lat.: several species, several races within one or two species, or just an undivided species. The last-mentioned option has sometimes been chosen in North America but not elsewhere. The subspecific option has been the approach of most investigators (e.g., Tolmachev 1966b; Rechinger and Akeroyd 1993b; Nilsson 2000; Elven et al. 2005). To accept several species is the option chosen by Mosyakin (2005) for Flora of North America. There are good arguments for that choice, i.e., few proven transitions and some hybrid sterility in these few (Nilsson 2000). There are, however, unresolved problems in northern Europe that may indicate variation at two or more levels. We have chosen a treatment as several species but with the subspecies option as an alternative.
Higher Taxa
- Rumex [4107,genus]