XVI International Botanical Congess

There are two general taxonomic problems in the genus Rumex which proceed from the natural differentiation within this group of plants. Genus Rumex s.l. has been observed as 1, 2 or 4 separated genera in accordance with the point of view of different authors. Specific concept, limits of species, the rank of the taxa used in Rumex - this is a complicated problem as well. The study of the genus which has been carried out in Ukraine had shown the rationality of understanding of Rumex in a broad sense. It is based on the phyletic placement of the segregate genera of docks and sorrels in the general phyletic scheme of the tribae Rumiceae Dumort. The peculiarities of biology and specific development in Rumex prove that polytypic concept of species is suitable to show most completely the delimitation of natural groups in Rumex. However, the possibility of alternative acceptance of the specific/subspecific rank in Rumex should be discussed.