Rumex hymenosepalus – “Wild Rhubarb”

Also Known As: Canaigre, Ganagra, Arizona Dock, Tanner’s Dock
Other Botanical Names: Rumex arizonicus, Rumex salinus
Family: Buckwheat (Polygonaceae)
Bloom Period: Jan-May
Form: Perennial herb
Habitat: Sandy soils
Leaves: Oblong with pointy tips and curled margins; mostly basal
Translation: “Rumex” is the Latin name for plants in this genus, commonly known as “Docks”; “hymenosepalus” is Latin for “having membranous sepals,” which describes the anatomy of the flowers; “arizonicus” means “of Arizona” and “salinus” is Latin for “salty,” referring to the type of soil it can grow in.
Notes: “Canaigre” is quite possibly an Anglicized corruption of the Spanish caña agria which means “sour cane,” an apt characterization of the plant’s flavor. “Ganagra” is likely a further corruption of “Canaigre.” Like its close relative, the well-known Garden Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum), the stalks of Wild Rhubarb are edible. The young leaves can also be eaten but as with other members of the Rumex genus, they contains oxalic acid which can be toxic in large amounts, though cooking breaks it down. The roots contain tannins that are used for leather-tanning.
Native American Uses: Different colored dyes can be extracted from the plant and the Navajo used an orange tint in their basket-making.
Animal Associations: Larval food plant for the Purplish Copper butterfly and the Great Copper butterfly.