Dock

Another edible weed that grows prolifically over winter especially in damper areas on our property.

binomial name : Rumex brownii
common name: dock

The name Dock is an old English corruption of tocke/docce = tuft or bundle. This is appropriate as this is exactly how it grows!
Rumex - the scientific name, is from the Latin rumino - to suck, chew over again, chew the cud with reference to the Roman soldiers who sucked sorrel to allay their thirst.

Identification:
There are several varieties around, but I have swamp dock which is a native plant.
They are a distinctive plant once recognised with long broad slender leaves 400x100mm and tall seeding spikes up to about 1m tall. There is a long tap root if you try and pull a plant out.
The long spiny flower stems bear clusters of many seeds that remain viable for a long time.


History and herbal uses:
Docks seeds have been found in the stomachs of 2 late stone age bodies preserved in peat bogs in Denmark.
In English folklore it was used topically to relieve nettle stings and infusions were used for various ailments including sore throats. It has also been used elsewhere for Tb, infections and leprosy.
Dock has a mild laxative effect.
The Romans used yellow dock for skin complaints, and the English herbalist Gerard (1633) said "it cureth the dropsie, the yellow jaunders, all manner of itch, scabes, breaking out, and manginesse of the whole body… purifieth the blood from all corruption; prevaileth against the green sickness very greatly, and… maketh young wenches to look faire and cherrie like."
The Maoris chewed the leaves then applied them to wounds to prevent scars forming.
The Native Amerindians applied the crushed leaves to boils and the pulverized roots to cuts.

Nutritional:
High levels of Vit A and Carotenoids ( RAE 200, carotenoids approx 2000mcg/100gm)- more than leaf lettuce and spinach . Vitamins B & C.
Oxalic acid much the same as spinach.

What to eat:
The large leaves of dock are equal to the best silverbeet and spinach when steamed or boiled. They have a slightly sour taste reflecting oxalic acid content. The stems are also edible - dice and stew as a rhubarb substitute – in parts of Europe Dock is called Mountain rhubarb.
Seeds have also been eaten after grinding and making into a flour.
We have only eaten the leaves after blanching to reduce the oxalic acid.

Medical reports from Pubmed:
An extract of one Rumex sp when given to diabetic rats lowered blood glucose and improved the lipid profile.
Another study found that dock had a blocking effect on Cox 1 and 2 inflammatory pathways.
A further study on an Ethiopian variety of dock (not R brownii) where it has been traditionally used for hypertension and pain relief, found that it did indeed have a diuretic effect ( that would result in lowering of blood pressure) and similar analgesic effect to morphine.
Note these are extract studies and as I have stated on previous posts such effects probably wouldn't be as evident from eating it as a green vegetable.

Conclusion:
a nice easily recognised weed that is worth eating.
warning - oxalic acid - probably worth blanching.
keep amounts eaten to moderate quantities.
Anne and I like eating this plant - we find it has a nice flavour

refs: Pubmed
Kallas,J "Edible Wild Plants - wild foods from dirt to plate" Gibbs Smith 2010