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Oxalis stricta L. Ceratoxalis coloradensis (Rydb.) Lunell Ceratoxalis cymosa (Small) Lunell Oxalis bushii (Small) Small Oxalis coloradensis Rydb. Oxalis cymosa Small Oxalis europaea Jord. Oxalis europaea Jord. var. bushii (Small) Wiegand Oxalis europaea Jord. var. rufa (Small) Young Oxalis fontana Bunge Oxalis fontana Bunge var. bushii (Small) H. Hara Oxalis interior (Small) Fedde Oxalis rufa Small Oxalis stricta L. var. decumbens Bitter Oxalis stricta L. var. piletocarpa Wiegand Oxalis stricta L. var. rufa (Small) Farw. Oxalis stricta L. var. villicaulis (Wiegand) Farw. Xanthoxalis bushii Small Xanthoxalis coloradensis (Rydb.) Rydb. Xanthoxalis cymosa (Small) Small Xanthoxalis dillenii (Jacq.) Holub var. piletocarpa (Wiegand) Holub Xanthoxalis interior Small Xanthoxalis rufa (Small) Small Xanthoxalis stricta (L.) Small Xanthoxalis stricta (L.) Small var. piletocarpa (Wiegand) Moldenke Oxalis, common yellow woodsorrel, common yellow oxalis, yellow wood-sorrel, common yellow wood-sorrel
Oxalis is widespread in North America, though it is not known whether it is native or introduced from Europe. It prefers open woodlands, meadows, lawns, gardens, disturbed areas, and sunny waste areas. Plants: 3-8" (7.6-20 cm) tall, rarely reaching 12" (30 cm). Heavily branched, especially near the base. Stems are light green and smooth, or covered with short appressed hairs, lying flat against the stems. Younger plants may be hairier. Leaves: Alternate, trifoliate, cloverlike, folding up like miniature parasols when there is little sun. Leaves appear atop upward-pointed petioles up to 2½" (6.3 cm) in length. They are usually green, sometimes outlined in purplish, rarely dark reddish purple. They are usually hairless. Leaflets are obcordate (heart-shaped), with smooth edges. Individual leaflets are ¼-½" (6.3-12 mm) in size. Flowers: Yellow, in groups of 2-7 on umbels. Each flower is ⁵/₁₆-¼" (8.3-6.3 mm) in diameter, with 5 yellow petals, 5 light green sepals, 10 stamens, and a pistil. Flowers appear from late spring to mid-fall. Fruits: Seed capsules occur in groups of 3-5. They look like little green bananas, bent slightly, ⅜-¾" (9.5-19 mm) long, and five-sided. Ripening capsules split into five sections, exploding seeds up to several feet away. Seeds are just over ¹/₃₂" (1 mm) long brown, oval, and flattened. These are closely similar (see also this comparison): |
9/7/2020 · Maquoit Bay Conservation Area, Brunswick, ME
The furled leaves might be a reaction to heat or dryness. · 5/19/2016 · Bemis Road Trails, Pepperell, MA
10/2/2020 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, MA
7/17/2017 · Oak Hill, Littleton, MA
10/2/2020 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, MA |
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| You are here Oxalis stricta |
Oxalis corniculata |
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| Plant | 3-8" (7.6-20 cm) tall, rarely reaching 12" (30 cm). Heavily branched, especially near the base. Stems are light green and smooth, or covered with short appressed hairs, lying flat against the stems. Younger plants may be hairier. | Low-growing, prostrate, up to 4" (10 cm), and rather delicate. It spreads by producing creeping, horizontal stems (stolons) up to 12" (30 cm) long. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Flowers | Yellow, in groups of 2-7 on umbels. Each flower is ⁵/₁₆-¼" (8.3-6.3 mm) in diameter, with 5 yellow petals, 5 light green sepals, 10 stamens, and a pistil. Flowers appear from late spring to mid-fall. | Bright yellow, with five petals, in clusters of 2-7, ⅛-½" (3.2-12 mm) around, appearing from June to September. Flower stalks are erect or ascending. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leaves | Alternate, trifoliate, cloverlike, folding up like miniature parasols when there is little sun. Leaves appear atop upward-pointed petioles up to 2½" (6.3 cm) in length. They are usually green, sometimes outlined in purplish, rarely dark reddish purple. They are usually hairless. Leaflets are obcordate (heart-shaped), with smooth edges. Individual leaflets are ¼-½" (6.3-12 mm) in size. | Trifoliate, with three rounded heart-shaped leaflets, like clover. They fold up like miniature parasols when there is little sun. Leaves are purple-green or dark purple, and somewhat hairy, especially along leaf margins. Leaves are ⅛-⅜" (6-10 mm) × ⅛-⅞" (4-25 mm). Leafs stalks are longer than in most plants, up to 2½" (7 cm). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fruit | Seed capsules occur in groups of 3-5. They look like little green bananas, bent slightly, ⅜-¾" (9.5-19 mm) long, and five-sided. Ripening capsules split into five sections, exploding seeds up to several feet away. Seeds are just over ¹/₃₂" (1 mm) long brown, oval, and flattened. | Narrow, cylindrical capsules, ⅛-1" (6-28 mm) long. When it dries it “explodes,” spreading is ¹/₃₂" (1 mm) seeds. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Range/ Zones |
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| Habitats | Open woodlands, meadows, lawns, gardens, disturbed areas, and sunny waste areas. | Waste places, lawns, and gardens. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | Wild | Wild | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occurrence | Common | Common | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Edibility: Leaves are edible as salad greens or cook as potherbs if combined with other milder greens. They contain oxalic acid which is poisonous unless eaten sparingly.
Online References:
Oxalis stricta at Illinois Wildflowers
Oxalis stricta at Minnesota Wildflowers
Oxalis stricta on Missouriplants.com
Oxalis stricta on Fall Wildflowers of New England
Oxalis stricta on the New England Wildflower Society’s GoBotany site
Oxalis stricta at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
References:
Clemants, Steven; Gracie, Carol, Wildflowers in the Field and Forest, Oxford University Press, 2006, p. 176
7/17/2017 · Oak Hill, Littleton, MA
≈ 7 × 8" (16 × 19 cm) 
8/6/2017 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, MA
≈ 8 × 5" (20 × 13 cm) 
6/3/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, East Pepperell 
8/16/2014 · White Mountains, NH
≈ 10 × 7" (25 × 16 cm) 
8/5/2019 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Wildflower Trail, Hollis, NH
≈ 7 × 4½" (17 × 12 cm) 
Oxalis stricta description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.
© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.
7/28/2009 · Tom & Susan’s House, Pepperell, MA
≈ 7 × 5" (16 × 13 cm) 
ID is uncertain 
6/3/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, East Pepperell 
7/17/2017 · Oak Hill, Littleton, MA
≈ 5 × 8" (13 × 20 cm) 
9/25/2017 · Oak Hill, Littleton, MA
≈ 6 × 3" (14 × 7.7 cm) 
8/25/2017 · Pack Monadnock, near summit, Peterborough, NH
≈ 5 × 4½" (12 × 12 cm) 
9/25/2017 · Oak Hill, Littleton, MA
≈ 6 × 4½" (15 × 12 cm) 
8/27/2016 · Williams Barn and Sørhaug Woods, Groton, MA 
Range:
