Rumex scutatus

Rumex scutatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Polygonaceae
Genus: Rumex
Species: R. scutatus
Binomial name
Rumex scutatus
L.

French Sorrel is a plant in the buckwheat family, used as a culinary herb. Its common names include buckler sorrel, shield-leaf sorrel, and sometimes the culinary name "green-sauce".[1]

As a culinary herb, it is used mainly in salads. The flavour of French Sorrel is slightly bitter or tangy, spiced with a hint of lemon, the sharp flavour is due to oxalic acid.[2] French sorrel is hardy in most regions, tolerating frost, full sun and short dry spells.[3] It grows quickly to a clump up to 1 metre (3.3 ft) in diameter, with long leaves up to 10 centimetres (4 in) in width.

References

  1. ^ Robert Hooper, Lexicon medicum, 1829 s.v. Rumex scutatus
  2. ^ The New Oxford Book of Food Plants, p199, J. G. Vaughn and C. Geissler, OUP, Oxford, 1997, ISBN 0198548257.
  3. ^ http://www.jekkasherbfarm.com/details_new.asp?productid=328