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Oxalis stricta

(Common Yellow Oxalis)

Overview

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Interesting Facts

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Common Names

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Common Names in English:

Common Yellow Oxalis, Dillen's Woodsorrel, Erect Woodsorrel, Sheep Sorrel, Sour Grass, Sourgrass, Toad Sorrel, Upright Yellow Wood-Sorrel, Upright Yellow Woodsorrel, Upright Yellow-Sorrel, Yellow Wood Sorrel, Yellow Wood-Sorrel, Yellow Woodsorrel

Description

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Family Oxalidaceae

The Oxalidaceae are herbs, shrubs , or rarely trees comprising 7 or 8 genera and about 800 species. The leaves are alternate and pinnately or palmately compound or rarely simple by suppression of leaflets ; stipules are absent. The flowers are bisexual and actinomorphic . The perianth consists of a calyx of 5 distinct sepals and a corolla of 5 distinct or sometimes basally connate petals. The stamens are basally connate and obdiplostemonous , that is, of two series with the outer series opposite the petals; occasionally 5 stamens are reduced to staminodes. The gynoecium consists of a single compound pistil of 5 carpels, 5 distinct styles, and a superior ovary with 5 locules, each containing one or more axile ovules. The fruit is a loculicidal, sometimes explosively dehiscent capsule or berry. -- Gerald Carr

Genus Oxalis

Mostly bulbous herbs with acidic juice. Aerial stem reduced, creeping or rhizomatous . Leaves digitately compound , showing sleep movements. Flowers regular. Stamens monadelphous at the base ; filaments 5 long and 5 short, alternating with one another. Ovary 5 locular with one or more ovules in each locule. Often heterostylous (in some European species) . Fruit capsular . Seeds with an elastic testa.

A large genus with about 800 species. Mostly found in North and South America, South Africa and fairly well represented in Europe and Asia.[1]

Physical Description

Species Oxalis stricta

Annuals or short-lived perennials , all vegetative parts (except petioles ) variably pubescent with simple and multiseptate hairs . Stems to 30 cm, usually single when young, erect , branching and finally decumbent with age but not rooting at nodes; underground stolons usually present. Stipules absent or rounded and inconspicuous. Leaves alternate or sometimes almost opposite or whorled ; petiole (2-) 3-8(-12) cm, pubescent with simple and at least some septate trichomes at base ; leaflet blades obcordate , (0.3-) 0.8-1.8(-2.5) × (0.3-) 1.2-3(-3.5) cm, green, abaxially sparsely pubescent, adaxially glabrous , apex deeply emarginate . Inflorescences dichotomous cymes, sometimes umbellate , 2-5(-7) -flowered; peduncle ca. 2 × as long as petioles or longer , base with a swollen articulation ; bracts linear , 1.5-2 × ca. 1 mm, glabrous or with very sparse trichomes. Pedicels (3-) 5-10 mm, erect in fruit, pubescent with simple and septate hairs. Sepals linear to narrowly elliptic , 4-7 × 1-2 mm, margin ciliate . Petals pale yellow, oblong-obovate, 5-10 × 2-3 mm. Capsule cylindric , 8-15 × 2-3.5 mm, 5-sided, glabrous or pubescent with only septate trichomes. Seeds 4-10 per locule, brown to brownish red, ovoid-oblong, 1-1.5 × 0.8-1 mm, transversely ridged . Fl. and fr. Feb-Oct. 2n = 24. [source]

Oxalis stricta is similar in appearance to O. corniculata, and some recorded occurrence of O. stricta in China beyond those reported here represent misidentification . [source]

Habit: Forb/herb

Flowers: Bloom Period: January, February. • Flower Color: yellow

Size/Age/Growth

Size: under 6" tall.

Habitat

Forests , ravines ; 400-1500 m. [2].

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 2,998 meters (0 to 9,836 feet).[3]

Biology

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Reproduction

Duration: Perennial

Growth

Culture: Space 6-9" apart.

Soil: Minimum pH: 5.6 • Maximum pH: 7.5

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Full Sun .

Moisture: Drought Tolerance: High

Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11. (map)

Taxonomy

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Synonyms

A. fontana (Bunge) Kuntze • Acetosella chinensis (Haworth Ex G. Don) Kuntze • Ceratoxalis coloradensis (Rydb.) Lunell • Ceratoxalis cymosa (Small) Lunell • O. corniculata var. stricta (Linnaeus) C. C. Huang & L. R. Xu • O. cymosa Small • O. diffusa Boreau • O. europaea Jordon; O. Fontana Bunge • O. repens Thunberg Var. stricta Hatusima • O. shinanoensis T. Itô • Oxalis brittoniae Small • Oxalis bushii (Small) Small • Oxalis chinensis Haworth Ex G. Don • Oxalis Corniculata Stricta • Oxalis corniculata var. dillenii (Jacq.) Trel. • Oxalis dillenii filipes (Small) Eiten • Oxalis dillenii Jacq. • Oxalis dillenii var. radicans Shinners • Oxalis europaea Jord. • Oxalis europaea var. bushii (Small) Wieg. • Oxalis europaea var. rufa (Small) Young • Oxalis filipes Small • Oxalis florida prostrata (Haw.) Lourteig • Oxalis florida Salisb. • Oxalis florida var. filipes (Small) Ahles • Oxalis fontana Bunge • Oxalis fontana var. bushii (Small) Hara • Oxalis interior (Small) Fedde • Oxalis prostrata Haw. • Oxalis rufa Small • Oxalis rupestris Raf. • Oxalis stricta var. decumbens Bitter • Oxalis stricta var. piletocarpa Wieg. • Oxalis stricta var. rufa (Small) Farw. • Oxalis stricta var. villicaulis (Wieg.) Farw. • X. europaea (Jordan) Moldenke • X. stricta (Linnaeus) Small. • Xanthoxalis brittoniae (Small) Small • Xanthoxalis bushii Small • Xanthoxalis coloradensis (Rydb.) Rydb. • Xanthoxalis cymosa (Small) Small • Xanthoxalis dillenii (Jacq.) Holub • Xanthoxalis dillenii var. piletocarpa (Wieg.) Holub • Xanthoxalis filipes (Small) Small • Xanthoxalis florida (Salisb.) Moldenke • Xanthoxalis interior Small • Xanthoxalis rufa (Small) Small • Xanthoxalis stricta (L.) Small • Xanthoxalis stricta var. piletocarpa (Wieg.) Moldenke

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name .

Last scrutiny: 15-Mar-2000

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Oxalis

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 113 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them:

O. adenophylla (Chilean Wood Sorrel) · O. albicans (Radishroot Woodsorrel) · O. albicans albicans (Radishroot Woodsorrel) · O. albicans californica (Radishroot Woodsorrel) · O. albicans pilosa (Radishroot Woodsorrel) · O. albicans subsp. californica (California Woodsorrel) · O. albicans subsp. pilosa (Radishroot Woodsorrel) · O. alpina (Alpine Woodsorrel) · O. articulata (Jointed Woodsorrel) · O. articulata rubra (Jointed Woodsorrel) · O. barrelieri (Barrelier's Woodsorrel) · O. bowiei (Bowie Woodsorrel) · O. caerulea (Blue Woodsorrel) · O. corniculata ('ihi) · O. corniculata corniculata (Creeping Woodsorrel) · O. corniculata var. microphylla (Creeping Lady´s-Sorrel) · O. corniculata var. pilosiuscula (Creeping Lady´s-Sorrel) · O. corniculata var. preissiana (Creeping Lady´s-Sorrel) · O. corniculata var. pubescens (Creeping Lady´s-Sorrel) · O. corniculata var. pygmaea (Creeping Lady´s-Sorrel) · O. corniculata var. radicosa (Creeping Lady´s-Sorrel) · O. corniculata var. repens (Creeping Lady´s-Sorrel) · O. corniculata var. serpens (Creeping Lady´s-Sorrel) · O. corniculata var. stricta (Creeping Lady´s-Sorrel) · O. corniculata 'Rubra' (Creeping Wood Sorrel) · O. corymbosa 'Aureo-Reticulata' (Gold Veined Oxalis) · O. crassipes (Pink Wood Sorrel) · O. crassipes 'Alba' (White Oxalis) · O. crassipes 'Rosea' (Pink Wood Sorrel) · O. debilis (Pink Wood Sorrel) · O. debilis corymbosa (Pink Woodsorrel) · O. debilis var. corymbosa (Pink Woodsorrel) · O. decaphylla (Gray's Woodsorrel) · O. depressa (Oxalis) · O. dichondrifolia (Agrito) · O. dillenii filipes (Dillen's Oxalis) · O. drummondii (Drummond Woodsorrel) · O. eggersii (Eggers' Woodsorrel) · O. enneaphylla 'Minutifolia' (Oxalis) · O. enneaphylla 'Patagonia' (Oxalis) · O. frutescens (Shrubby Oxalis) · O. frutescens angustifolia (Shrubby Oxalis) · O. frutescens subsp. angustifolia (Shrubby Woodsorrel) · O. gigantea (Giant Oxalis) · O. grandis (Great Yellow Wood-Sorrel) · O. hedysaroides Kunth 'Rubra' (Fire Fern) · O. hirsutissima (Hairy Oxalis) · O. hirta (Trailing Oxalis) · O. illinoensis (Illinois Woodsorrel) · O. incarnata (Crimson Woodsorrel) · O. intermedia (West Indian Woodsorrel) · O. lasiandra (Palm Tree Oxalis) · O. latifolia (Broad-Leaf Woodsorrel) · O. lobata (Oxalis) · O. luteola 'Maculata' (South African Oxalis) · O. macrocarpa (Sorrel) · O. magellanica (Oxalis) · O. magellanica 'Nelson' (Oxalis) · O. malloloba (Rough-Snouted Gurnard) · O. melanostricta 'Ken Aslet' (Oxalis) · O. montana (Green Snob) · O. nelsonii (Sorrel) · O. oregana (Oregon Wood-Sorrel) · O. ortgiesii (Fishtail Oxalis) · O. peduncularis (Tree Oxalis) · O. pes-caprae (African Woodsorrel) · O. priceae (Price's Yellow Wood Sorrel) · O. priceae colorea (Tufted Yellow Woodsorrel) · O. priceae texana (Tufted Yellow Woodsorrel) · O. priceae subsp. colorea (Tufted Yellow Woodsorrel) · O. priceae subsp. texana (Texas Woodsorrel) · O. purpurea (Purple Woodsorrel) · O. purpurea 'Garnet' (Oxalis) · O. purpurea 'Grand Duchess' (Oxalis) · O. radicosa (Dwarf Woodsorrel) · O. regnelli (Red Leaf) · O. regnellii (False Shamrock) · O. regnellii 'Alba' (False Shamrock) · O. regnellii'Atropurpurea' (Purple Oxalis) · O. regnellii 'Irish Mist' (False Shamrock) · O. regnellii 'Triangularis' (False Shamrock) · O. rosea (Sorrel) · O. rubra (Oxalis Rubra) · O. rugeliana (Coamo) · O. siliquosa 'Copper Glow' (Copper Velvet Shamrock) · O. siliquosa 'Copper Tones' (Copper Velvet Shamrock) · O. siliquosa 'Sunset Velvet' (Copper Velvet Shamrock) · O. spiralis (Spiral Sorrel) · O. spiralis vulcanicola (Volcanic Sorrel) · O. spiralis 'Aureus' (Spiral Sorrel) · O. stricta (Common Yellow Oxalis) · O. stricta var. bushii (Upright Yellow-Sorrel) · O. stricta var. europaea (Upright Yellow-Sorrel) · O. stricta var. viridiflora (Upright Yellow-Sorrel) · O. suksdorfii (Suksdorf Woodsorrel) · O. tetraphylla (Good Luck Plant) · O. tetraphylla 'Iron Cross' (Iron Cross Good Luck Plant) · O. texana texana (Texas Woodsorrel) · O. triangularis Burgundy Wine = 'JR Oxburwi' (Shamrock [burgundy Wine]) · O. triangularis 'Dorothy Chao' (False Shamrock)

More Info

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Further Reading

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Notes

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Contributors

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 14, 2007:

Identifiers

Footnotes

  1. "Oxalis". in Flora of Pakistan . Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  2. "Oxalis stricta". in Flora of China Vol. 11 Page 3, 4. Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  3. Mean = 210.200 meters (689.633 feet), Standard Deviation = 215.030 based on 7,994 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]
Last Revised: 7/15/2012