Native Plants

Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Enter a Plant Name:
Or you can choose a plant family:

Bransford, W.D. and Dolphia

Rumex hymenosepalus

Rumex hymenosepalus Torr.

Canaigre Dock, Canaigre, Desert Rhubarb

Polygonaceae (Buckwheat Family)

Synonym(s): Rumex hymenosepalus var. euhymenosepalus, Rumex hymenosepalus var. salinus

USDA Symbol: ruhy

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

The Canaigre of western North America as far east as west Texas has smooth stems and leaves and grows 1-3 feet tall. It is commonly seen in streambeds and gulches, though it is also found on well-drained high ground. The tuberous roots are rich in tannin. The large, fleshy, alternate leaves are often a foot long. The flowers bloom in large heads a foot long or more and are followed by large masses of pink-to-reddish-brown seeds.

From the Image Gallery

23 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Achene
Size Notes: Up to about 3 feet tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Red
Bloom Time: Jan , Feb , Mar , Apr , May

Distribution

USA: AZ , CA , CO , MT , NM , NV , OK , TX , UT , WY
Native Distribution: Montana and Wyoming south to Chihuahua, west to California and Baja California and east to west Texas and Oklahoma

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Sibley Nature Center - Midland, TX

Bibliography

Bibref 1207 - Earth Medicine, Earth Food (1990) Michael A. Weiner
Bibref 248 - Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide (1984) Loughmiller, C. & L. Loughmiller

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 3 - Flora of North America (2014) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 36 - Jepson eFlora (2019) The Jepson Herbarium, University of California, Berkeley

Additional resources

USDA: Find Rumex hymenosepalus in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Rumex hymenosepalus in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Rumex hymenosepalus

Metadata

Record Modified: 2022-10-10
Research By: TWC Staff

Go back