 |
FAMILY
Polygonaceae
SPECIES
Rumex acetosella
DESCRIPTION
Sheep's Sorrel is much smaller than either French or Garden Sorrel, and is often tinged, especially towards the end of the summer, a deep red hue. It is a slender plant, the stems from 3 to 4 inches to nearly a foot high, often many and tufted, decumbent at the base. The leaves, 1/2 to 2 inches in length, have long petioles and are variable in breadth, mostly narrow-lanceolate, the lower ones hastate and the lobes of the base usually spreading and often divided. |
It grows in pastures and dry gravelly places in most parts of the globe, except the tropics, penetrating into Arctic and Alpine regions, and is abundant in Britain, where it is sometimes called Field Sorrel.
Like the other Sorrels, it is highly acid, though is less active in its properties than the French or Garden species.
FLOWERS & FOLIAGE
The flowers are classified as dioecious.
Wind are responsible for pollinating this variety.
This species is generally considered frost tolerant.
This plant provides food & shelter for native wildlife.
|
 |
MEDICINAL USES
The whole herb is employed medicinally, in the fresh state. The action is diuretic, refrigerant and diaphoretic, and the juice extracted from the fresh plant is of use in urinary and kidney diseases.
Sheep's sorrel is a detoxifying herb, the fresh juice of the leaves having a pronounced diuretic effectYellow Dock. Like other members of the genus, it is mildly laxative and holds out potential as a long term treatment for chronic disease, in particular that of the gastro-intestinal tractYellow Dock.
|
 |
The plant is also part of a North American formula called essiac which is a popular treatment for cancer. Its effectiveness has never been reliably proven or disproven since controlled studies have not been carried out. The other herbs included in the formula are Arctium lappa, Ulmus rubra and Rheum palmatumYellow Dock. The whole plant, used in the fresh state, is diaphoretic, diuretic and refrigerantYellow Dock.
A tea made from the leaves is used in the treatment of fevers, inflammation and scurvyYellow Dock. The leaf juice is useful in the treatment of urinary and kidney diseasesYellow Dock. A leaf poultice is applied to tumours, cysts etc, and is a folk treatment for cancerYellow Dock. A tea made from the roots is astringent and is used in the treatment of diarrhoea and excessive menstrual bleedingYellow Dock.
EDIBLE USES |
 |
LEAVES
Raw or cooked. A delicious lemon-like flavour, most people consider them too strong to use in quantity, but they are excellent as a flavouring in mixed salads. The leaves should only be used in small quantities due to the oxalic acid content. The leaves can be used as thickeners in soups etcYellow Dock, they can also be dried for later use.
ROOT
Cooked. It can be dried, ground into a powder and made into noodlesYellow Dock. Seed - raw or cooked. Easy to harvest, but the seed is rather small and fiddly to use. A drink similar to lemonade (but without the fizz) is made by boiling up the leavesYellow Dock.
CAUTION
Plants can contain quite high levels of oxalic acid, which is what gives the leaves of many members of this genus an acid-lemon flavour. Perfectly alright in small quantities, the leaves should not be eaten in large amounts since the oxalic acid can lock-up other nutrients in the food, especially calcium, thus causing mineral deficiencies. The oxalic acid content will be reduced if the plant is cooked. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition.
|
