dock, in botany: A genus of the trigynia order, belonging to the hexandria clas of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 12th order, Holarceae. The calyx is triphyllous; there are three connivent petals, and one triquetrous seed. There are 27 species; of which the most remarkable are,

1. The patientia, commonly called patience rhubarb. This was formerly much more cultivated in the British gardens than at present: the roots of this have been generally used for the monk's rhubarb, and has even been thought to be the true kind; but others suppose the second sort should be used as such. The root is large, and divides into many thick fibres; their outer cover is brown, but they are yellow within, with some reddish veins; the leaves are broad, long, and acute-pointed; their footstalks are of a reddish colour; the stalks rise six or seven feet high, and divide towards the top into several erect branches garnished with a few narrow leaves terminating with loose spikes of large flaminous flowers. These appear in June, and are succeeded by pretty large three-cornered seeds, whose coverings are entire, which ripen in autumn.

2. The alpinus, or monk's rhubarb, grows naturally on the Alps, but has long been cultivated in the gardens of this country. This hath large roots which spread and multiply by their offsets: they are shorter and thicker than the former, are of a very dark brown on the outside, and yellow within. The leaves are of the round heart-shape, standing upon long footstalks. The stalks rise from two to three feet high; they are thick, and have a few small roundish leaves on the lower part; but the upper part is closely garnished with spikes of white flowers standing erect close to the stalks. They appear in the latter end of May, and are succeeded by large triangular seeds which ripen in August.

3. The aquaticus, or water-dock, grows naturally in ponds, ditches, and standing waters, in many parts of Britain. It is supposed to be the herba Britannica of the ancients. It hath large roots which strike deep into the loofe mud, sending out leaves which are above two feet long. The stalks rise five or six feet high when the plants grow in water, but in dry land seldom more than three; these are garnished with narrow Ruminant leaves among the spikes of flowers to the top. The flowers stand upon slender footstalks, which are reflexed; they are of an herbaceous colour, appear in June, and the seeds ripen in autumn.

4. The acutus, or sharp-pointed dock, (the oxylathum of the shops;) but the markets are supplied with roots of the common docks which are indifferently gathered by those who collect them in the fields, where the kind commonly called butter dock (from its leaves being used to wrap up butter) is much more common than this. The roots of this are slender, and run downright, sending out a few small fibres; the stalks rise about two feet high, garnished at bottom with leaves four inches long, and one and an half broad in the middle. They are rounded at their base, where they are slightly indented, but end in acute points. From the joints of the stalks come out alternately long footstalks, which sustain the spikes of flowers, which grow in small whorls round the stalks, at about an inch distant.

These plants are but seldom cultivated; and so easily multiply by their numerous seeds, that they soon become troublesome weeds where they once get an entrance.