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African wood-sorrel, Bermuda buttercup, soursob

blue wood-sorrel

Habit Herbs perennial, acaulous, rhizomes present vertical, white, rootlike, stolons absent, bulb usually solitary, sometimes with bulblets at base; bulb scales not observed. Herbs perennial, acaulous, rhizomes and stolons absent, bulb solitary; bulb scales (3–)5–7-nerved.
Leaves

basal, rarely absent at flowering;

petiole 3–12 cm;

leaflets 3, green, rarely mottled with purplish red spots, angular-obcordate, (5–)7–20 mm, lobed 1/4–2/5 length, lobes apically convex, margins and abaxial surface villous, adaxial surface glabrous, oxalate deposits absent.

basal;

petiole 3–10(–13) cm;

leaflets (3–)4(–5), green to purplish abaxially, green adaxially, obtriangular to obcordate, 5–22 mm, lobed 1/5–1/2 length, lobes apically rounded, surfaces glabrous, oxalate deposits absent or as few punctate tubercles near lobe apices.

Inflorescences

umbelliform cymes, 2–12(–20)-flowered;

scapes often becoming fistulose proximally, 15–30 cm, sparsely villous to pilose.

umbelliform cymes, (1–)2–7-flowered;

scapes 6–12(–15) cm, glabrous.

Flowers

tristylous in diploids and tetraploids, consistently short-styled in pentaploids;

sepal apices with 2 orange tubercles;

petals deep golden yellow, 15–20 mm.

distylous;

sepal apices with 2 orange, linear tubercles;

petals red to pinkish lavender, 8–10 mm.

Capsules

not seen.

ellipsoid, 3.5–6 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 14, 28, 35.

Oxalis pes-caprae

Oxalis caerulea

Phenology Flowering Nov–Apr. Flowering Jun–Sep.
Habitat Disturbed areas, orchards, fields, grasslands, oak woodlands, coastal sage, dunes. Streambeds, stream banks, meadows, pinyon-juniper, pine-oak-juniper, or pine-aspen woodlands.
Elevation 10–500 m. (0–1600 ft.) (1800–)2000–2600 m. ((5900–)6600–8500 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; s Africa [Introduced in North America; introduced also in West Indies, Bermuda, South America, Europe, Asia (China, Iran, Turkey), n Africa, Australia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CO; NM; Mexico (Chihuahua, Durango, Sonora)
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Outside its native range, Oxalis pes-caprae is mostly represented by a sterile pentaploid morph, although tetraploids also are known. The occurrence of both pentaploid and tetraploid individuals in the exotic range may be the result of independent introductions (P. Michael 1964; R. Ornduff 1986). Fruit production has not been observed in North America, and the plants are assumed to be seed-sterile (Ornduff 1987). Bulbs of O. pes-caprae are rarely collected, as they detach easily from the vertical, rootlike stems. Each bulb may produce over 20, small, whitish bulblets each year. Bulblets may also be formed at the soil surface crown.

Oxalis pes-caprae was reported by J. K. Small (1933) to occur in waste places and cultivated grounds in northern Florida, but as noted by D. B. Ward (2004), no Florida specimens are known.

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

Source FNA vol. 12, p. 146. FNA vol. 12, p. 148.
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. laxa, O. macrantha, O. metcalfei, O. montana, O. oregana, 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. 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. 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. cernua Ionoxalis caerulea
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 434. (1753) (Small) R. Knuth: Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin-Dahlem 7: 316. (1919)
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