Bernice Bjornson had this this to say about the species in 1946:  “Rumex acetosella or sheep sorrel played its part well in the early history of the West.  During the gold rush when men were too busy to put in gardens and when imported vegetables not only were rare but were very expensive the lowly sheep sorrel did its bit in keeping men healthy as it was added to their diet in the place of rhubarb or other greens. It is pleasantly sour.”