Rumex crispus Root Identity & Plant Part
The botanical entity is Rumex crispus L., curly dock, a perennial of the Polygonaceae with long, wavy-edged leaves and a stout taproot. The part used is the root. Leaves, stems and seeds are not part of this ingredient, even though the leaves are eaten in some regions. The cut root shows a yellow to orange color from its anthraquinone pigments.
Several other docks are traded under similar names, among them Rumex obtusifolius, broad-leaved dock, and Rumex patientia, patience dock, and they are not interchangeable with curly dock. The root carries anthraquinones such as emodin and chrysophanol and their glycosides, together with tannins, oxalates and flavonoids, named here as families only.












