Rumex abyssinicus Jacq.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Roadside by end of Zovo Chipolo Trail, Nyika National Park.

Photo: Bart Wursten
Along road to Chozi View Point, Nyika National Park.

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Synonyms:	Rumex schimperi Meisn.
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Description:	A robust erect perennial herb with green or reddish-green hairless, hollow, ribbed stems, up to 4 m tall. Leaves usually triangular-hastate, sometimes sagittate, sublinear or more rarely ovate, 6–25 cm long, hastate or with a variably deep and wide basal sinus, hairless or more or less pubescent beneath; palmately 5–7-veined; petiole up to 14 cm long. Ocrea membranous, 2–3.5 cm long, ribbed. Flowers in clusters, together forming leafless terminal panicles, up to 30–50 cm long. Outer perianth segments brown, ovate-lanceolate, 1.5 mm long, membranous; inner perianth segments green becoming reddish-brown, suborbicular, 5.5–7 mm long, cordate-emarginate at the base, entire, pellucid, strongly reticulate-veined, with a minute reflexed dorsal tubercle near the base; stamens 6. Nut sharply trigonous, 2.5–3 mm long, pale or dark brown, smooth and shiny.
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Derivation of specific name:	abyssinicus: of Abyssinia, historic name for Ethiopa.
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Worldwide distribution:	From Nigeria to Eritrea and South to Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia.
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Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 229. (Includes a picture). Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 95. Nogueira, I., Ortiz, S. & Paiva, J.A.R. (2006). Polygonaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(3) Pages 41 - 42. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 85. Rechinger, K.H. (1954). Monograph of the Genus Rumex in Africa Botaniska Notiser Supplement 3(3) Pages 29 - 37. (Includes a picture). Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 154.

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Flora of Malawi: Rumex abyssinicus
Flora of Mozambique: Rumex abyssinicus
Flora of Zambia: Rumex abyssinicus

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Rumex abyssinicus
African Plant Database: Rumex abyssinicus
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Rumex abyssinicus
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Rumex abyssinicus
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Rumex abyssinicus
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iNaturalist: Rumex abyssinicus
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Rumex abyssinicus
JSTOR Plant Science: Rumex abyssinicus
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Rumex abyssinicus
Plants of the World Online: Rumex abyssinicus
Tropicos: Rumex abyssinicus
Wikipedia: Rumex abyssinicus