Wood Dock
Rumex sanguineus
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumex_sanguineus
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Family
Polygonaceae
Genus
Rumex
Wood Dock belongs to the family Polygonaceae, order Caryophyllales, within the Magnoliopsida class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Wood Dock faces severe population declines due to habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and urban development, which eliminates the moist woodland edges and disturbed soils it requires. Invasive plant species competition and changes in land management practices that reduce suitable microhabitats further threaten remaining populations.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Wood Dock typically inhabits woodland edges, clearings, and disturbed soils in deciduous and mixed forests, particularly favoring moist, nutrient-rich areas along paths, stream banks, and forest margins. The species also occurs in semi-natural grasslands and waste ground adjacent to wooded areas.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Wood Dock faces severe population declines due to habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and urban development, which eliminates the moist woodland edges and disturbed soils it requires. Invasive plant species competition and changes in land management practices that reduce suitable microhabitats further threaten remaining populations.
Habitat loss from agricultural conversion
Urban and suburban development
Changes in woodland management practices
Competition from invasive plant species
Loss of disturbed soil habitats
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Wood Dock (Rumex sanguineus). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/wood-dock