Sorrel, arum, or dock?

[Gotte]

How do you tell the difference between Sorrel, arum and dock, esp at this time of year, when the leaves are young and not fully formed? I've been googling images of all three, and looking in guides, but in the field, and depending on which picture I'm looking at, they all look similar, which in the case of arum, could be quite disasterous.

 

[Tinweasle]

Arum or lords and ladys has a vain all the way around the leaf making a border and often has red/purple patches on the leaves and stem which sorrel hasnt got, Dock leaves dont have the back facing lobes, I'm sure there are other ways and someone will know them

 

[John Fenna]

If you crush sorrel it smells lemony - well it does to me...

 

[chas brookes]

Hi
the Forager guides which are free on the link below have excellent photo gudes

http://www.wildfoodschool.co.uk/urban/index.htm

 

[Bluefrog]

I learnt the hard way; well the stupid way and wasn't aware that arum had leaves like that, tasted it and it really burned my tong. I thought it was just young and potent at first but a previous post that i made after proved me wrong, a very foolish and avoidable lesson learned. Tinweasle is correct, also common sorrel doesn't tend to grow in woodland. wait until you're 100%; for now just use wood sorrel which is quite easy to identify and grows on acidic soils in pine woodland and tastes very similar. I'd say find one that you think is 100% sorrel then take it to a leaf that you think is 100% a arum; then take a picture and upload it on here to confirm. The dock is much easier as it doesn't have pointy lobes at the bottom.

Thanks
Ste

 

[Gotte]

Arum or lords and ladys has a vain all the way around the leaf making a border and often has red/purple patches on the leaves and stem which sorrel hasnt got, Dock leaves dont have the back facing lobes, I'm sure there are other ways and someone will know them

Thanks for that. Am I right in thinking, though, that dock has a reddish stem running up the centre of the leaf, and is generally more wrinkled?