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Rumex conglomeratus Murray
Clustered Dock

Reference
Prodr.Stirp.Gott. 52 (1770)
Conservation Code
Not threatened
Naturalised Status
Alien to Western Australia
Name Status
Current

Erect perennial, herb, 0.3-1.5 m high. Fl. white-green, Oct to Dec or Jan to Feb. Sandy soils. Riversides, roadsides, edges of drains.

Amanda Spooner, Descriptive Catalogue, 15 May 2007

Distribution

IBRA Regions
Jarrah Forest, Swan Coastal Plain, Warren.
IBRA Subregions
Dandaragan Plateau, Northern Jarrah Forest, Perth, Southern Jarrah Forest, Warren.
IMCRA Regions
WA South Coast.
Local Government Areas (LGAs)
Albany, Armadale, Augusta Margaret River, Bridgetown-Greenbushes, Busselton, Chittering, Collie, Denmark, Gingin, Gosnells, Harvey, Manjimup, Murray, Nannup, Serpentine-Jarrahdale, South Perth, York.

Management Notes (for the Swan NRM Region)

Alternative Names. Clustered Green Dock, Green Dock.

General Biology. Growth form. Herb. Life form. Perennial. Reproduction. Seed, root fragments. Dispersal. Animals, soil, machinery. Seedbank persistence. Long term, 5+ years.

Notes. Widely naturalised in America, Australia and New Zealand. Can be abundant in summer-moist areas. Seeds are shed in autumn and germinate mainly in the spring in consecutive years. Seeds are long-lived and undergo a seasonal dormancy cycle, with a low level of dormancy in winter and early spring and a deep dormancy in summer. Targeted for biological control by the Australian Weeds Committee in the 1980s.

Additional information. Origin. Northern Africa, temperate Asia, Europe. Similar native species. em>Rumex dumosus, R. drummondii.

Suggested method of management and control. Hand remove small/isolated infestations of seedlings and young rosettes. If removing older plants ensure entire plant, including the root, can be removed, otherwise spread will occur from root fragments. Alternatively spot spray with 1% glyphosate + surfactant in early bud stage. Use a higher rate on well established plants. Read the manufacturers' labels and material safety data sheets before using herbicides. For further information consult the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to determine the status of permits for your situation or state.

Management Calendar

Calendar Type Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Comments
Germination               Y Y Y      
Active Growth O O Y Y Y O O O Y Y Y O  
Flowering Y Y               Y Y Y  
Fruiting Y Y Y               Y Y  
Manual Removal Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y  
Herbicide Treatment               Y Y Y      

Legend: Y = Yes, regularly, O = Occasionally, U = Uncertain, referred by others but not confirmed.

 

References

  • Brown, K. & Brooks, K. (2002) Bushland Weeds: A Practical Guide to their Management. Environmental Weeds Action Network, Greenwood.
  • Department of Primary Industries and Water (2008) Docks (Rumex species) Control Guide. Department of Primary Industries and Water, Hobart, Tasmania. URL: http://www.dpiw.tas.gov.au/inter-nsf/WebPages/PWOD-8825F2?open - Accessed September 2010.
  • Hussey, B.M.J., Keighery, G.J., Dodd, J., Lloyd, S.G. & Cousens, R.D. (2007) Western Weeds. A guide to the weeds of Western Australia. 2nd Edition. The Plant Protection Society of Western Australia, Victoria Park.
  • Parsons, W.T. & Cuthbertson, E.G. (2001) Noxious weeds of Australia. 2nd Edition. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood.
  • USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program (2009) Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL: https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomysimple.aspx - Accessed October 2009.
  • Van Assche, J., Van Nerum, D. & Darius, P. (2002) The comparative germination ecology of nine Rumex species. Plant Ecology, 159 (2): 131-142.
  • Weaver, S.E. & Cavers, P.B. (1979) Dynamics of seed populations of Rumex crispus and Rumex obtusifolius (Polygonaceae) in disturbed and undisturbed soil. Journal of Applied Ecology, 16: 909-917.