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Smooth green herb that grows on sandy or silty soil
© National Museum of Qatar
Scientific Name: Rumex vesicarius
Common Name: Bladderdock
Dimensions: Grows to 30 cm and the leaves are 3 to 8 cm long
Medium: model
Registration Number: RPN.2018.0367
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Bladderdock, an annual green glabrous herb, has alternate leaves that are somewhat succulent and fragile, with a glaucous appearance. The leaves are elliptic, ovate, or oblong, and can be obtuse or acute, tapering at the base. Its flowers are found in simple or branched racemes and are bisexual. The plant produces a large and showy fruiting perianth (false fruit) in colors ranging from light brown to pale pink, purplish, or dark brown. This perianth encloses the actual fruits. Inside the perianth, you can find a trigonous nut containing two main seeds: one light brown and the other dark brown.
Habitat and Biology
Bladderdock thrives in sandy or silty soil but is not tolerant to salt. It blooms from March to April and is pollinated by the wind. Its seeds can stay dormant in the soil for a minimum of three years. A variety of insects, including beetles and butterflies, inhabit bladderdock. Its primary competitors are grasses.
ECO System Qatar
Rocky desert ecosystem:The Qatar peninsula's interior consists of flat, rocky plains with hardy life forms surviving and offering hunting spaces for predators. Stony deserts with sand, pebbles, and limestone emerge at the center, featuring gravel plains and eroded limestone formations. Three stony desert types are noted: Hamada, tough exposed zones prone to surface fracturing due to extreme summer heat; Hofuf, plains with a light gravel layer; and Wadis, dry channels filling after heavy rains.
PUBLICATIONS AND RESEARCH
Abdel Bary, Ekhlas M. M. (2012). The Flora of Qatar. 2 volumes (700 pages, 199 pages) : color illustrations, maps ; 28 cm. Doha: Qatar University Environmental Studies Center. OCLC: 875112803. MMS ID: 991000252609706691. English. Volume 1: The Dicotyledons -- Volume 2: The Monocotyledons
UNESCO Office in Doha. (n.d.). An Illustrated Checklist of the Flora of Qatar. Authors: John Norton, Sara Abdul Majid, Debbie Allan, Mohammed Al Safran, Benno Böer, & Renee Richer. [Unpublished manuscript]. Richer, R., Knees, S., Norton, J., & Sergeev, A. (2022). Hidden Beauty: An Exploration of Qatar’s Native and Naturalised Flora. Hardcover. April 30, 2022.
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