AuthorLousley, J.E. & Kent, D.H.
Year1981
TitleDocks and Knotweeds of the British Isles (ed 1)
ISBN0 901158 04 6
SeriesBSBI Handbooks
TypeBook/Report
How CompleteAll native and established species and hybrids, plus a number of casual adventives.
SourceBSBI Handbooks, No 3, 205pp, Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI)
IllustrationsLine drawings facing the species descriptions.
Review (by Malcolm Storey)

After a brief introduction, the identification section starts with a brief review of the characters used. This is followed by the dichotomous Key to Genera, then the individual Genus entries, beginning with a short confirmatory description, then maybe a key to sections, followed by key(s) to species.

The major portion of the book consists of detailed species accounts facing line-drawings of the whole plant or a stem, fruiting perianth, fruit, ochrae, perianth, etc.

The final two pages of figures (79 and 80) bring together a set of drawings of Rumex fruits, for comparison or quick identification.

Finally lists are given, with brief descriptions, of Dubious Records of Rumex, Additional Rumex spp Adventive in N. and W. Europe, Polygonum Hybrids Recorded from the British Isles, Rumex Hybrids Recorded from the British Isles, Rumex Hybrids Recorded from Europe (no descriptions for these latter).

A new edition was published in 2014.

NewsA new edition is in preparation
Examine with x8 or x10 hand lens
Specimen PreparationFresh or pressed material, ideally with upper and lower leaves and mature fruits.
Identification difficultyGenerally straightforward, but hybrids more challenging.

Notes & PurposeStatusTaxonEnglishClassification
For identificationSupersededPOLYGONACEAEdocks and knotgrassesPlantae: Caryophyllales
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