Oxalis tetraphylla

• Overview
• Interesting Facts
• Common Names
• Description
• Biology
• Taxonomy
• Similar Species
• More Info
• Further Reading
• Notes

Overview

Interesting Facts

Common Names

Click on the language to view common names.

Description

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

Biology

Growth

Culture: Space 12-15" apart.

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Sun to Partial Shade.

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

Taxonomy

Synonyms

Acetosella Tetraphylla • Acetosella tetraphylla (Cav.) Kuntze • Ionoxalis Tetraphylla • Ionoxalis tetraphylla (Cav.) Rose

Notes

Publishing author : Cav. Publication : Ic . iii. 19.

An accepted name in the RHS Horticultural Database.

Similar Species

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

• Search for Pictures: images.google.com
• Search for Scholarly Articles: Google Scholar
• Search using Scientific Name and Vernacular Names: All the Web | AltaVista Canada | AltaVista | Excite | Google | HotBot | Lycos
• Search using Specialized Databases: GenBank | Medline | Scirus | CISTI/CAL | Agricola Periodicals | Agricola Books

Further Reading

• A manual of poisonous plants, chiefly of eastern North America, with brief notes on economic and medicinal plants, and numerous illustrations, Cedar Rapids, Ia., The Torch Press, 1911. url .
• A manual of poisonous plants: chiefly of eastern North America, with brief notes on economic and medicinal plants, and numerous illustrations / by L. H. Pammel. 1911 Cedar Rapids, Ia.: The Torch Press, 1910-11. url p. 580.
• Biologia centrali-americana; or, Contributions to the knowledge of the fauna and flora of Mexico and Central America. London, Pub. for the editors by R. H. Porter and Dulau & co., 1879-88. url .
• Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 10 1906-1908 Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1890- url p. 115.
• Contributions from the University of Michigan Herbarium. 16 1987 Ann Arbor: University Herbarium, University of Michigan, 1939- url p. 161.
• Cyclopedia of American horticulture, comprising suggestions for cultivation of horticultural plants, descriptions of the species of fruits, vegetables, flowers and ornamental plants sold in the United by L. H. Bailey. .. assisted by William Miller. .. and many expert cultivators and botanists. London: The Macmillan company, 1909. url p. 1181, p. 697.
• Favourite flowers of garden and greenhouse /by Edward Step. ..; the cultural directions edited by William Watson. ..; illustrated with three hundred and sixteen coloured plates, selected and arranged by D. Bois. 1 1896 London and New York: Frederick Warne & co., 1896-97. url .
• Flora Costaricensis / William Burger, editor. 28 1991 Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, 1991. url p. 16, p. 8.
• Flora Malesiana. general editor, C.G.G.J. van Steenis. Djakarta: Noordhoff-Kolff, 1950- url p. 158, p. 829.
• Florists' review Chicago: Florists' Pub. Co. url .
• Forest culture and eucalyptus trees, San FranciscoCubery1876 url p. 554.
• Form and structure of certain plant hybrids in comparison with the form and structure of their parents. .. [Meridian, Miss.]1913. url .
• Garden and forest; a journal of horticulture, landscape art and forestry. New York: The Garden and forest publishing co., 1888-97. url p. 96.
• Jenaische Zeitschrift für Naturwissenschaft. Jena, Gustav Fischer [etc.]. url p. 468, p. 470, p. 521, p. 547.
• Mendel's principles of heredity / by W. Bateson. Cambridge: University Press, 1909. url p. 47.
• Mendel's principles of heredity, by W. Bateson. Cambridge [Eng.]University Press, 1913. url p. 47, p. 47.
• Nicholson, G. The illustrated dictionary of gardening: a practical and scientific encyclopædia of horticulture for gardeners and botanists /edited by George Nicholson; assisted by J.W.H. Trail. .. and J. Garrett. .. 9 1884 London: L.U. Gill, [1884]-88. url p. 440, p. 541.
• Organography of plants, especially of the archegoniatae and spermaphyta, ed. by Isaac Bayley Balfour. Oxford, Clar. Press, 1900-5. url p. 289.
• Physiology at the farm in aid of rearing and feeding the live stock. Edinburgh and London, W. Blackwood and sons[1867]. url p. xviii.
• Phytologia. Bronx Park, New York, H.A. Gleason and H.N. Moldenke, url p. 518.
• Report of the Commissioner of Patents for the year 1859: agriculture. Washington, D.C.: George Bowman, printer, 1860. url p. 311.
• Select extra-tropical plants readily eligible for industrial culture or naturalisation with indications of their native countries and some of their uses / by Baron Ferd. von Mueller. Melbourne: R. S. Brain, govt. printer, 1895. url p. 345, p. 312, p. 565.
• Select extra-tropical plants, readily eligible for industrial culture or naturalisation, with indications of their native countries and some of their uses. By Baron Ferd. von Mueller. .. Sydney, T. Richards, government printer, 1881. url p. 219, p. 390.
• The American florist: a weekly journal for the trade. Chicago: American Florist Company, [1885-1931] url p. 1350.
• The American gardener's magazine and register of useful discoveries and improvements in horticulture and rural affairs. Boston: Printed for Russell, Shattuck & Williams, & Hovey & Co., 1835- url p. 334.
• The Annals and magazine of natural history; zoology, botany, and geology being a continuation of the Annals combined with Loudon and Charlesworth's Magazine of Natural History. London, Taylor and Francis, Ltd. url p. 365.
• The Illustrated dictionary of gardening: a practical and scientific encyclopaedia of horticulture for gardeners and botanists / edited by George Nicholson. ..; assisted by J.W.H. Trail. .. and J. Garrett. ... London: L. Upcott Gill; 1887-1889. url p. 386, p. 440.
• The agriculturist's manual: being a familiar description of the agricultural plants cultivated in Europe: including practical observations respecting those suited to the climate of Great Britain and forming a report of Lawson's by Peter Lawson & Son. Edinburgh: William Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh: Thomas Cadell, 141 Strand, London; and W. Curry Jun. & Co., Dublin, 1836. url p. 235.
• The bulb book; or, Bulbous and tuberous plants for the open air, stove, and greenhouse, containing particulars as to descriptions, culture, propagation, etc., of plants from all parts of the world having bulbs, cor by John Weathers...Illustrated by the author. London: J. Murray, 1911. url p. 391.
• The cyclopaedia of anatomy and physiology. Ed. by Robert B. Todd. London: Longman, Brown, Green, Longmans, & Roberts, 1835-59. url p. 679.
• The journal of the Horticultural Society of London. London, [England]: Published for the Society, by Longman and Co., 1846-1855. url p. 117, p. 218.
• The standard cyclopedia of horticulture; a discussion, for the amateur, and the professional and commercial grower, of the kinds, characteristics and methods of cultivation of the species of plants grown in the regions of the United States a Illustrated with colored plates, four thousand engravings in the text, and ninety-six full-page cuts. New York, Macmillan, 1919 [c1914] url p. 1412, p. 1474.
• The weeds of New South Wales, pt. I- Sydney, W.A. Gullick, Gov't. printer, 1920- url p. 20.
• University studies of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln. url p. 196.
• Vegetable organography; or, An analytical description of the organs of plants. Translated by Boughton Kingdon. LondonHoulston & Stoneman1841 url p. 251.

Notes

Contributors

• Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-present. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Zwaag, The Netherlands. Accessed March 27, 2012.

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 22, 2007:

• The Swedish Museum of Natural History
• , Herbarium of Oskarshamn
• The Swedish Museum of Natural History
• , Plants
• UK National Biodiversity Network, Botanical Society of the British Isles - Vascular Plants Database
• UNIBIO, IBUNAM, MEXU/Plantas Vasculares

Identifiers

• Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 3460761
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 4490920
• Globally Unique Identifier: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:375467-1
• International Plant Names Index (IPNI) ID: 375466-1
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 877699

Footnotes

1. "Oxalis". in Flora of Pakistan . Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]

©2004-2012 David Stang. All rights reserved.