Rumex aquaticus
 
Western Dock

Flower Bottom

Good Spirit Lake Provincial Park
04-July-2013

The flower has three outer sepals and three inner sepals.  The inner sepals eventually enclose the fruit and are called valves.

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Aquaticus: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species. 
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plants NOT alpine

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plants NOT rhizomatous

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leaves cuneate, rounded, truncate or cordate at base;  NOT [leaves hastate or sagittate]

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pedicels obscurely jointed; NOT [pedicles conspicuously jointed]

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flowers perfect or mostly so; NOT [flowers unisexual]

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valves not greatly enlarging; NOT [valves greatly enlarging in fruit, becoming bright pink]

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valves smaller; NOT [valves 1-3 cm across]

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valves entire or nearly so; NOT [valves distinctly lobed or toothed on the margin]

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valves without tubercles; NOT [tubercles 1-3, well-developed]

 

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Rumex: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus. 
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NOT [dwarf annual; leaves subopposite; calyx 3-parted; stamens 3]

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leaves with stipules

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leaves lanceolate; NOT [leaves reniform]

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flowers not in involucrate clusters; NOT [flower clusters subtended by an involucre of bracts]

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stamens 8 or fewer; NOT [stamens 9]

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stigmas tufted

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sepals 6; NOT [sepals 4], NOT [sepals 5, more or less equal]

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inner sepals enclosing the fruit; NOT [inner sepals erect]

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fruit winged; NOT [fruit wingless]

 

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Polygonaceae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  leading to this family. 
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herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]

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land plants; NOT [water plants]

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plants not parasitic on trees, rooted in soil or water; NOT [plants parasitic on branches of trees]

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plants with stems or stemless, but with more than one pair of leaves; NOT [plants stemless with a single pair of large reniform leaves, calyx 3-lobed]

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leaves alternate; NOT [leaves opposite]

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stipules forming a sheath above nodes; NOT [stipules membranous], NOT [leaves without stipules]

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flowers with only one floral ring, with sepals but not petals

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stamens and pistils in each flower; NOT [stamens or pistils in separate flowers on the same plant]