Acerones (Rumex scutatus)

Habitat: nitrophilous plant, likes humid and uncultivated places, between stones, walls, ruined buildings or rubble. It grows in all types of soils, and is a common weed in gardens and orchards in Europe and North America, especially in acidic soils where it grows as a weed. Forests, grasslands, peatlands, rivers, etc. It especially favors humid climates and soils rich in ironsilicon or nitrogen.

Distribution: found in most of Europe (including Great Britain), North Africa, temperate regions of Asia and North America.

The sorrel or vinegar plant (Rumex acetosa) is a herbaceous perennial plant of the botanical family Polygonaceae, the same family to which buckwheat belongs. buckwheatbuckwheat, rhubarb rhubarb or the bistorta.

The plant has a rhizomatic root or thickened, from which the basal leaves are born in the form of a rosette, and the flowering stem is erected, which can reach 90-120cm. height. The stem branches at the top.

The leaves are alternate and whole. The basal leaves (rosette) are oblong and large, 20cm long. length by 13cm. wide, with long grooved petiole. The leaves on the flowering stem are sagittate or clasping, sessile (without petiole).

Depending on the type of soilDepending on the type of soil, the leaves usually have a scarlet red color.

The leaves are edible and have a sour taste, and are used in salads, soups and stews.

Sorrel flowers from May to June. It is a dioecious plant (there are male plants and female plants), with flowers small, green flowers arranged in panicles panicles dense. The male flowers are greenish, while the female flowers are more reddish. These are pollinated by the wind, and are full of fruits in summer.

The fruits are achenes of 2.5 mm, with a trigonal shape.

Sorrel plant with fruit. Stem turns reddish as seeds ripen

Uses of sorrel

– Wild plant edibleThe tender leaves leaves of sorrel are used are used for salads salads, soups, stews and different preparations

culinary. They have high amounts of fiber, vitamin C y beta-carotene. They have an acidic, fresh and pleasant taste, although they should not be consumed in large quantities due to their high content in oxalic acid.

Medicinal uses

The leaves are dried to be used as a medicinal plant. medicinal plant. They have cooling properties, laxatives y diureticswith a characteristic lemony flavor. For its astringency and haemostatic power, the root and leaves are used against hemorrhages y hemorrhoids.

Because it is a plant very rich in oxalic acid, it is not recommended for people with rheumatism. rheumatismarthritis, goutkidney stones or stomach acidity.

Composition of sorrel:

– Vitamins: beta-carotene, vitamin C, riboflavin, pantothenic acid

– Minerals: magnesium, potassium

– especially at the end of summer, the plant shows high concentrations of potassium oxalate (1.5%), which is high concentrations of potassium oxalate (1.5%), which gives it medicinal properties.

– Anthraquinonesanthraquinones: chrysophanol, chrysophanine, chrysophanic acid, chrysophanic acid. chrysophane (root), emodin. Anthraquinones are cathartic components (which accelerate defecation) present in some laxative plants which have strong purgative effects.

– OxalatesThe leaves of sorrel are rich in oxalic acid. oxalic acid, for which reason they should be consumed in small amounts in the diet. Oxalates can lead to the formation of stones in the stones in the kidneys (kidney stones). To reduce its oxalate content, the leaves are previously boiled and which are always consumed tender (old leaves old leaves are not eaten). Oxalates are soluble in water and remain in the cooking broth, which should be thrown away. should be discarded.

– Flavonoidshyperoside, hyperin, quercetin, rutinvitexin. The leaves contain hyperoside, a flavonoid present in the majority of antibronchitic plants, such as antibronchitic plants, such as horse’s claw (Tussilago farfara) and St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum). Sorrel soups are usually given as in cases of colds due to its antitussive properties. antitussive properties.

– The root presents high doses of chrysophanic acid with antiseptic and antispasmodic effects. with antiseptic and antispasmodic effects.

– The seeds and roots are very rich in tannins.