Sex-ratio bias in seeds of dioecious Rumex species with sex chromosomes is an interesting and still unsettled issue. To resolve gender among seeds of R. acetosa and R. thyrsiflorus (two species with an XX/XY1Y2 sex chromosome system), this work applied a PCR-based method involving DNA markers located on Y chromosomes. Both species showed female-biased primary sex ratios, with female bias greater in R. acetosa than in R. thyrsiflorus. The observed predominance of female seeds is consistent with the view that the female biased sex ratios in Rumex are conditioned not only postzygotically but also prezygotically
17 samples of common sorrel were collected from natural sites in the Małopolska region. The content of selected heavy metals (zinc, copper, manganese, iron, chromium, nickel, lead and cadmium) were determined in individual plant organs. The greatest diversification occurred for cadmium, manganese and zinc; the smallest differences were noted for copper. Correlation coefficients between total soil heavy metal concentrations and their content in sorrel were generally low and very low; only the coefficients for cadmium and lead may be considered as high and very high. Allowable lead content was exceeded in all samples of sorrel leaves, whereas cadmium concentrations were in about 90% of the samples. Sorrel roots most strongly accumulated the metals, whereas the smallest content was found in the stems.