As kids we used to eat the leaves of a small plant on our family's property in Ruskin, southwestern BC. We never saw the plant get bigger than, say, a few inches - perhaps because those tender leaves never escaped our little mouths! The leaves were mainly oblong, with a small protrusion on either side where leaf met stem. They were not shiny, but sparkly (no, this was not Fairyland). The sparkle is how we identified them as it was such a unique charactaristic amongst the grass. The best part was that they were very sour, and my mouth waters just thinking about them now! Which is why I would love to know the name so that perhaps I can have them in my own garden. Thank you in advance for your help - also as I'm new & this is my first post, I have to say I'm very excited about sharing info and learning from others here!
sour dock?, Rumex crispus, or some of the other Rumex are also called sour dock. Don't know about the sparkles.
Or Rumex acetosella maybe. The surface cells of its leaves do have a slight crystalline appearance - though that could be said of quite a few other plants as well. And it's a common plant of pastures throughout temperate climates, I suspect. The small basal lobes of its leaves and the sour taste also fit fiddlesticks's description.
First of all, thank you for your replies, they were incredibly helpful. Secondly, I am nearly bursting with excitement as I believe rumex acetosella is THE one! I Googled it and found a gorgeous close-up photo, and as soon as I saw it I wanted to eat it. So that was, in part, a good indication of positive ID. :) I am thouroughly amazed at the 'plant ID skills' I've seen while skimming through this site, and hope to be somewhere at that level one day! This memory was something very important to me, and I appreciate your insight more than you know.
