A survey is given of some taxonomic aspects of Rumex acetosella L. s.s. and the critical R. tenuifolius (Wallr.) Love (both in the sense of Love), and of the status of R. tenuifolius in the syntaxonomic literature pertaining to Northern Germany, The Netherlands, and a part of Central Europe. In several publications this latter taxon is recorded as characteristic of the Class Koelerio-Corynephoretea (or of some of its subordinate syntaxa). A number of releves of stands of vegetation belonging to this syntaxonomic Class from the Netherlands and a few from the German Federal Republic are presented in which only hexaploid acetosella occurred. Such specimens may be narrow-leaved, and although corresponding with the morphological description of R. tenuifolius cannot belong to this tetraploid species. The ecological amplitude of R. acetosella s.s. (with 2n = 42) overlaps that of the tetraploid R. tenuifolius (Wallr.) Love. Within the R. acetosella aggregate R. tenuifolius is a critical taxon whose morphological and ecological characteristics do not have an adequate diagnostic significance. The conclusion can be drawn, in anticipation of a forthcoming revision, that it is at least in The Netherlands and in Germany not recommendable to credit"/?, tenuifolius” with any meaningful status in syntaxonomy.

Acta botanica neerlandica

CC BY 3.0 NL ("Naamsvermelding")

Koninklijke Nederlandse Botanische Vereniging

J.C.M. den Nijs, & T. Panhorst. (1980). Biosystematic studies of the Rumex acteosella-complex. III. A note on the synsystematic position of “R. tenuifolius (Wallr.) Löve”. Acta botanica neerlandica, 29(2/3), 179–192.