Flora of North America species comparison

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Oxalis laxa

Oxalis incarnata

dwarf wood-sorrel

crimson wood-sorrel, pale pink-sorrel
Habit Herbs annual, caulescent, sometimes densely cespitose, rhizomes and stolons absent, bulbs absent. Herbs perennial, caulescent, rhizomes present, 3–8 cm, slender, sometimes producing small tubers, stolons absent, bulblets often present on rhizomes and in leaf axils.
Aerial stems

1–5 from base, erect, 0.5–7 cm, usually herbaceous, sometimes becoming ± woody proximally, hirtellous to villous-hirtellous.

mostly 1–4 from base, mostly erect, 5–25 cm, herbaceous, glabrous.
Leaves

cauline;

stipules rudimentary;

petiole 1.5–6 cm;

leaflets 3, green, obcordate, 5–12 mm, lobed 1/5 length, lobes apically convex, surfaces glabrous, oxalate deposits absent.

cauline, usually in pseudowhorls of 4–8, sometimes opposite proximally;

stipules rudimentary;

petiole 2–5(–7) cm;

leaflets 3, green, sometimes purplish abaxially, obcordate, 6–10(–15) mm, lobed 1/4 length, lobes apically convex, surfaces glabrous, oxalate deposits absent.
Inflorescences

racemes, 6–14-flowered;

peduncles 3–15 cm.

1-flowered;

peduncles 5–7 cm.
Flowers

heterostylous;

sepal apices without tubercles;

petals yellow, 6–12 mm.

stamen/style arrangement not seen;

sepal apices with 2 orange tubercles;

petals white to pale pinkish purple with darker veins, 10–20 mm.
Capsules

ovoid to spheric, 3–5 mm, puberulent.

not seen.

Oxalis laxa

Oxalis incarnata
Phenology Flowering Apr–Jun. Flowering Jan–May.
Habitat Disturbed sites, riparian woodlands, riverbanks, gravelly beaches, rock crevices, foothill woodlands. Shady, disturbed, generally urban sites, greenhouses, roadsides, yards.
Elevation 10–800 m. (0–2600 ft.) 0–200 m. (0–700 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; South America (Chile) [Introduced in North America]
from FNA
CA; Africa (South Africa) [Introduced in North America; introduced also in Europe, Pacific Islands (New Zealand), Australia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Oxalis laxa is widespread in California in the eastern part of the Central Valley and along the central coast.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Oxalis incarnata is recognized by its rhizomatous habit, small leaves in pseudowhorls, and large, solitary, flowers with white to pink or purple petals. Plants apparently are seed-sterile in California.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 12, p. 145. FNA vol. 12, p. 146.
Parent taxa Oxalidaceae > Oxalis Oxalidaceae > Oxalis
Sibling taxa
O. albicans, O. articulata, O. bowiei, O. brasiliensis, O. caerulea, O. californica, O. colorea, O. corniculata, O. debilis, O. decaphylla, O. dichondrifolia, O. dillenii, O. drummondii, O. florida, O. frutescens, O. grandis, O. hirta, O. hispidula, O. illinoensis, O. incarnata, O. intermedia, O. latifolia, O. macrantha, O. metcalfei, O. montana, O. oregana, O. pes-caprae, O. pilosa, O. purpurea, O. stricta, O. suksdorfii, O. texana, O. triangularis, O. trilliifolia, O. violacea
O. albicans, O. articulata, O. bowiei, O. brasiliensis, O. caerulea, O. californica, O. colorea, O. corniculata, O. debilis, O. decaphylla, O. dichondrifolia, O. dillenii, O. drummondii, O. florida, O. frutescens, O. grandis, O. hirta, O. hispidula, O. illinoensis, O. intermedia, O. latifolia, O. laxa, O. macrantha, O. metcalfei, O. montana, O. oregana, O. pes-caprae, O. pilosa, O. purpurea, O. stricta, O. suksdorfii, O. texana, O. triangularis, O. trilliifolia, O. violacea
Synonyms O. corniculata var. sericea, O. micrantha, O. radicosa, O. simulans
Name authority Hooker & Arnott: Bot. Beechey Voy., 13. (1830) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 433. (1753)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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