Kleiner Sauerampfer (MVP)

Kleiner Sauerampfer

Rumex acetosella

Summary ⁷

Rumex acetosella is a species of sorrel, bearing the common names sheep's sorrel, red sorrel, sour weed, and field sorrel. The plant and its subspecies are common perennial weeds. It has green arrowhead-shaped leaves and red-tinted deeply ridged stems, and it sprouts from an aggressive and spreading rhizome. The flowers emerge from a tall, upright stem. Female flowers are maroon in color.

Description ⁸

A perennial herb that has a slender and reddish upright stem that is branched at the top, reaching a height of 18 inches (0.5 meters). The arrow-shaped leaves are small, slightly longer than 1 inch (3 cm), and smooth with a pair of horizontal lobes at the base. It blooms during March to November, when yellowish-green (male) or reddish (female) flowers develop on separate plants at the apex of the stem, which develop into the red fruits (achenes).

Rumex acetosella is widely considered to be a hard-to-control noxious weed due to its spreading rhizome. Blueberry farmers are familiar with the weed because it thrives in the same conditions under which blueberries are cultivated.

Distribution and habitat ⁸

The plant is native to Eurasia and the British Isles, but it has been introduced to most of the rest of the northern hemisphere. It is commonly found on acid, sandy soils in heaths and grassland. It is often one of the first species to take hold in disturbed areas, such as abandoned mining sites, especially if the soil is acidic. Livestock will graze on the plant, but it is not very nutritious and is toxic in large amounts because of oxalates. The American Copper or Small Copper butterfly also depends on it for food.

Cultivation ⁹

Sheep Sorrel is usually found in full or partial sunlight, mesic to dry conditions, and a poor acid soil that is either sandy or gravelly (although not limestone). It can also flourish in rich loam or clay-loam soil at highly disturbed sites. This plant is quite aggressive and difficult to eradicate. Range & Habitat

Culinary uses ⁸

There are several uses of sheep sorrel in the preparation of food including a garnish, a tart flavoring agent, a salad green, and a curdling agent for cheese. The leaves have a lemony, tangy or nicely tart flavor.

Associations ¹⁰

Foodplant / open feeder
larva of Ametastegia equiseti grazes on leaf of Rumex acetosella
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / gall
larva of Apion affine causes gall of inflorescence? of Rumex acetosella

Foodplant / internal feeder
larva of Apion cruentatum feeds within root of Rumex acetosella
Remarks: Other: uncertain

Foodplant / internal feeder
larva of Apion curtirostre feeds within stem of Rumex acetosella

Foodplant / internal feeder
larva of Apion haematodes feeds within rootstock of Rumex acetosella

Foodplant / gall
larva of Apion marchicum causes gall of root, rootstock of Rumex acetosella

Foodplant / gall
larva of Apion rubens causes gall of leaf (midrib) of Rumex acetosella

Foodplant / gall
larva of Apion rubiginosum causes gall of root of Rumex acetosella

In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Foodplant / parasite
embedded sorus of Bauhinus kuehneanus parasitises live leaf of Rumex acetosella
Remarks: season: 6-9
Other: minor host/prey

Foodplant / sap sucker
Brachycaudus helichrysi sucks sap of Rumex acetosella

Foodplant / feeds on
Coniocleonus hollbergi feeds on Rumex acetosella
Remarks: Other: uncertain

Foodplant / sap sucker
adult of Coreus marginatus sucks sap of seed of Rumex acetosella

Foodplant / mobile cased feeder
larva of Cryptocephalus exiguus grazes in mobile case on tepal of fallen fruit of Rumex acetosella

Foodplant / mobile cased feeder
larva of Cryptocephalus fulvus grazes in mobile case on Rumex acetosella
Remarks: Other: uncertain
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / open feeder
adult of Cryptocephalus labiatus grazes on live leaf of Rumex acetosella
Remarks: season: 3-11

Fungus / parasite
cleistothecium of Erysiphe polygoni parasitises live Rumex acetosella

Foodplant / saprobe
apothecium of Helotium consobrinum is saprobic on dead stem of Rumex acetosella
Remarks: season: 6-10

Plant / associate
Kissister minimus is associated with root of Rumex acetosella

Foodplant / open feeder
imago of Mantura chrysanthemi grazes on leaf of Rumex acetosella

Foodplant / saprobe
apothecium of Mollisia polygoni var. rumicis is saprobic on dead stem of Rumex acetosella
Remarks: season: 3-4

Foodplant / parasite
colony of sporangium of Peronospora rumicis parasitises live Rumex acetosella

Foodplant / spot causer
epiphyllous, scattered pycnidium of Phyllosticta coelomycetous anamorph of Phyllosticta acetosellae causes spots on fading leaf of Rumex acetosella
Remarks: season: 6-10

Foodplant / parasite
amphigenous telium of Puccinia acetosae parasitises live leaf of Rumex acetosella
Other: unusual host/prey

Foodplant / spot causer
hypophyllous colony of Ramularia anamorph of Ramularia pratensis causes spots on live leaf of Rumex acetosella
Remarks: season: 5-10

Foodplant / feeds on
larva of Rhinoncus castor feeds on Rumex acetosella

Foodplant / sap sucker
adult of Spathocera dalmanii sucks sap of seed of Rumex acetosella

Foodplant / parasite
telium of Uromyces acetosae parasitises live Rumex acetosella
Other: unusual host/prey

Foodplant / parasite
uredium of Uromyces polygoni-avicularis parasitises live stem of Rumex acetosella
Remarks: season: 7-11
Other: minor host/prey

Foodplant / spot causer
immersed pseudothecium of Venturia rumicis causes spots on fading leaf of Rumex acetosella
Remarks: season: 11-7

Sources and Credits

(c) randomtruth, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.flickr.com/photos/58096907@N00/2522079430
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/plant_diversity/6185570760/
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://www.flickr.com/photos/plant_diversity/6185041051/
(c) Lukas, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/99278910@N00/15701153523/
(c) Ian Sutton, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/22616984@N07/4021000891/
(c) Jon Sullivan, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://www.flickr.com/photos/mollivan_jon/10716196916/
Adapted by Bea Steinemann from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumex_acetosella
(c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumex_acetosella
(c) John Hilty, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/29447482
(c) BioImages, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/22911385

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