Veined dock-Rumex venosus-Poisonous plant-winged dock, wild-begonia

Veined dock

General poisoning notes:

Veined dock (Rumex venosus) is a native herb found in the southern part of the Canadian prairies. This plant caused poisoning of cattle in Colorado. Poisoning occurred in early spring when there was little other vegetation. Sickness and death resulted after large amounts of the plants were ingested (Dickie et al. 1978).

Description:

Plants perennial, glabrous or nearly so, with creeping rhizomes. Stems ascending or, rarely, erect, usually producing axillary shoots near base, (10-)15-30(-40) cm. Leaf blades ovate-elliptic, ob-ovate-elliptic, or ovate-lanceolate, (2-)4-12(-15) × 1-5(-6) cm, subcoriaceous, base narrowly to broadly cuneate, margins entire, flat or slightly undulate, apex acute or acuminate. Inflorescences terminal and axillary, usually occupying distal 2/ 3 of stem/shoot, usually dense, or interrupted in proximal part, broadly paniculate. Pedicels articulated near middle, filiform or slightly thickened, (8-)10-16 mm, articulation distinct, slightly swollen. Flowers 5-15 in whorls; inner tepals distinctly double-reticulately veined, orbiculate or reniform-orbiculate, 13-18(-20) × (20-)23-30 mm, base deeply emarginate or cordate, margins entire, apex rounded, obtuse, rarely subacute, with short, broadly triangular tip; tubercles absent, occasionally very small. Achenes brown or dark brown, 5-7 × 4-6 mm. 2n = 40.

Nomenclature:

Scientific Name: Rumex venosus Pursh

Vernacular name(s): veined dock

Other names: winged dock, wild-begonia

Scientific family name: Polygonaceae

Vernacular family name: knotweed

Geographic Information:

Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan.

Toxic parts:

Leaves, stems.

Notes on Toxic plant chemicals:

Oxalate crystals are found in the aboveground parts of the plant. Levels were measured in Colorado, showing oxalates of 9.2% in April and 13.9% in June on a dry-weight basis. If sufficient quantity of plant material is ingested the oxalates combine with systemic calcium ions to form insoluble calcium oxalate, causing functional hypocalcemia in acute cases (Dickie et al. 1978).

Toxic plant chemicals:

Oxalate.

Animals/Human Poisoning:

Note: When an animal is listed without additional information, the literature (as of 1993) contained no detailed explanation.

Cattle

General symptoms of poisoning:

anorexia

depression

kidney, edema of

lungs, congestion of.

Notes on poisoning:

Several cows became ill and died after ingesting veined dock. All the cows were suckling, but none of their calves died. Symptoms included depression and anorexia. Postmortem findings showed ecchymotic and petechial hemorrhaging on the visceral and parietal peritoneum. About 2 L of thin, yellowish fluid was in the abdominal cavity. Mesenteric lymph nodes were enlarged and edematous. Other symptoms included catarrhal abomasitis, enteritis, pale kidneys, and lung congestion (Dickie et al. 1978).