Acetosa Miller, Gard. Dict. Abr. ed. 4, vol. 1. 1754

Plants dioecious (rarely polygamomonoecious). Leaf blades in most species sagittate at base, with lobes directed downward, sometimes hastate, cuneate, or rarely almost cordate. Pedicels with articulation near middle or in proximal part. Flowers normally unisexual, staminate and pistillate on different plants; outer tepals normally reflexed towards pedicel, or sometimes spreading; inner tepals distinctly enlarged, normally longer than (2.5-)3 mm, always distinctly wider and longer than achene, margins entire; tubercles absent or small and indistinct, recurved, developed only at base of inner tepals.

Species ca. 45 (5 in the flora): mostly in the Old World, as naturalized nearly worldwide.