Nutritional Freshwater Life
46
Rumex nepalensis (Sprengel)
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Polygonaceae
Common name: Nepal dock.
Distribution: Afghanistan, Bhutan,
India, Indonesia, Japan (introduced),
Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sikkim,
Tajikistan, Vietnam; Southwest Asia.
Habitat: Grassy slopes, moist valleys,
along ditches.
Description: This plant is erect with
long taproots. Stems are erect, 50–100 cm
tall, branched above, glabrous, grooved.
The fleshy to leathery leaves form a
basal rosette at the root. Leaf blade is
broadly ovate, 10–15 × 4–8 cm. The basal
leaves may be different from those near
the inflorescence. The inconspicuous
flowers are carried above the leaves in
whorl-like clusters. They are mostly hermaphrodite, or they may be functionally male or female. The shoot is edible
in this species (www.eFloras.org).
Nutritional Facts
Proximate Composition (% FW)
Plant Part Ash Moisture Protein Fats Fiber CHO a
Root
6.40
4.79
11.12 15.57 13.50 48.62
Stem
9.73
5.30
15.30 18.69 10.78 40.20
Leaf
8.11
3.50
13.95 17.54 15.38 41.52
Flower
8.77
4.82
9.88 19.10
9.00 48.43
Fruit
4.95
3.00
14.84 11.78 14.60 50.83
Seed
5.47
3.40
18.53 13.80 17.40 41.40
a Carbohydrate.
Source: Data from Hameed and Dastagir (2009).