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OXALIDACEAE

OXALIS FAMILY

Robert Ornduff

Annual to tree
Leaves compound (palmate, pinnate, or leaflet 1), alternate, often ± basal in rosettes or in clusters at stem or rhizome tips, generally petioled; stipules generally 0; leaflets generally sessile
Inflorescence: cyme, sometimes umbel- or raceme-like, or flowers solitary, generally in axils; peduncle bracted
Flower generally bisexual, radial; sepals 5, free or fused at base; petals 5, free or fused above base; stamens 10 or 15, fused below, of 2 lengths; pistil 1, ovary superior, chambers 3–5, placentas axile, styles 1–5, generally ± free
Fruit: generally capsule, loculicidal
Seeds generally with aril
Genera in family: 8 genera, 575 species: especially temp. Often heterostylous.

OXALIS

Annual, perennial herb, shrub; roots fibrous or woody; bulbs, tubers, or rhizomes often present
Stem sometimes 0 or very short
Leaf petioled: stipules 0 or small; leaflets 3, generally ± obcordate in CA, generally entire, generally green
Flower: petals clawed; stamens 10; ovary chambers 5, styles 5, free, erect or curved
Fruit cylindric to spheric, explosively dehiscent
Seeds flat, often ridged; aril translucent
Species in genus: ± 480 species: especially temp
Etymology: (Greek: sour)
Reference: [Eiten 1963 Amer Midl Nat 69:257–309; Lourteig 1975 Phytologia 42:57–197]
Generally heterostylous; many (especially aliens in CA except O. laxa ) fine ornamental; some noxious weeds; contained oxalates may be toxic to livestock.

Introduced

O. latifolia Kunth

Perennial; bulblets at tips of short stolons; bulbs < 25 mm, scaly
Stem 0 or very short
Leaves basal; petiole < 30 cm; leaflets ± 4.5 cm, hairs 0 or sparse
Inflorescence umbel-like, < 15-flowered; peduncle < 14 cm
Flower: sepals < 4 mm, oblong to lanceolate, tips with 2 brownish orange tubercles; petals < 1.5 cm, pink
Fruit 0 in CA
Ecology: Gardens, fields, orchards
Elevation: < 100 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast, Central Coast, Outer South Coast Ranges
Distribution outside California: native to New Mexico, Mexico
Synonyms: O. martiana Zucc
Fls late winter to summer. Weed of n SCoR (Salinas Valley) ± matching this description may be O. vallicola (Rose) Kunth

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