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There is a certain pleasure in addressing a dock by name. Bloody Dock. Back in the halycon days when the hardy plant society sales were filled with robust women carrying boxes of plants growing in yoghurt pots I came upon a small seedling with curious red veined leaves. A quizzical look elicited the information that it was "a dock, a bloody dock, a Bloody Dock." I paid 20p and it felt like putting money in a swear box. I was warned that I would never be without it. I have never been without it but it has never been a problem though I am sometimes surprised by its appearance where no bloody dock had previously been known. I still enjoy its appearances about the place so it was worth the 20p. John Gerard said: "The seventh kinde of Docke is best known unto all, of the stocke or kindred of Dockes; it hath long thinne leaves, sometimes redde in everie part thereof, and often stripped heere and there with lines and strakes, of a darke red colour: among which rise up stiffe brittle stalkes of the same colour: on the toppe whereof come foorth such flowers and seede as the common wilde Docke hath. The roote is likewise red, or of a bloudie colour. The two last do grow in gardens, my selfe and others in London and elsewhere, have them growing for our use in Phisicke and chirurgetie." Gerard's mention of "stiffe brittle stalkes of the same colour" suggests to me that he knew the plant very well. The thin flower stems are unusually stiff and they snap with a brittle crack. He doesn't mention that the fibres in the stems dont break and if you pull at them too hard they cut into your fingers, though I feel sure he had experienced it. |
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| 20th May 2012 | ||
