Rumex palustris
(c) Patrick Hacker, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Patrick Hacker · licence
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Rumex palustris is a non-native California herb in the Polygonaceae family, recognized by . Historical waif with very limited range.
Marsh dock is a naturalized annual herb found in coastal California in wet places at elevations below 10 meters. Flowering during the summer, this plant produces small greenish-brown flowers in open, spreading whorls with thread-like pedicels. Growing with erect, red-brown stems 10 to 60 centimeters tall that are generally branched, it develops a vertical taproot. Its large lanceolate leaves measure 15 to 30 centimeters long and 1.5 to 6 centimeters wide, with entire margins and acute tips. The fruit is light brown, small and irregularly shaped with three nearly equal smooth tubercles.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 0 sympatric species - geographically isolated. Historical waif with very limited range.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Wet places
Elevation: < 10 m
Outside California: New Jersey, native to Europe
Bloom period
Rumex palustris blooms Summer.
How to tell it apart
vs Anemopsis: Rumex has dense flower clusters; Anemopsis has a single white cone-like flower head.; vs Amaranthus: Rumex has papery three-winged fruits; Amaranthus has small round seeds with papery covers.; vs Plantago: Rumex has branching flower clusters; Plantago has flowers in dense cylindrical spikes.; vs Eriogonum: Rumex has large broad leaves; Eriogonum typically has small basal leaf rosettes or mats.; vs Limonium: Rumex has green to reddish flower clusters; Limonium has papery purple or pink flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Rumex palustris native to California?
No. Rumex palustris is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Rumex palustris bloom?
Rumex palustris blooms Summer.
What plant family does Rumex palustris belong to?
Rumex palustris is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Rumex.
What habitat does Rumex palustris grow in?
Rumex palustris grows in Wet places.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.