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Oxalis (From oxys acid referring)

(from oxys, acid; referring to the taste of the leaves). TRIBE Oxalideae of ORD. Geraniaceae. A very large genus (upwards of 220 species) of green-house, hardy, or nearly hardy herbs, sometimes stemless, with a bulbous or fleshy rhizome, sometimes caulescent, rarely suffruticose. Three or four species are found in the temperate regions, one or two are broadly dispersed between the tropics, and the rest are almost equally distributed through South Africa, tropical and sub-tropical America, and extra-tropical South America. Flowers yellow, pink, or white, sometimes dimorphous, regular, on axillary or radical, one or more flowered peduncles; sepals five, imbricate; petals five, contorted. Leaves radical or cauline, exstipulate, alternate; digitately or pinnately tri-to many-foliolate; leaflets entire or emarginately bilobed. Stipules scale-like, adnate to the petioles, or none. All the species are of very easy culture, and thrive best in sandy soil, and in a warm and dry situation. They are interesting and pretty as borders to other plants, or when forming large masses among the latter. They are also suited for points of rockwork, associated with ferns, or when forming masses in nooks or corners in woods, or on the turf. Used as edgings, from 6in. to 12in. apart is sufficiently close for the taller-growing species. The plants root fast, and spread rapidly. Several species are most effective pot-plants, and may either be kept under glass all the year round, or laid on their sides out of doors, when dormant, and thoroughly dried off. Propagated by seeds, by cuttings, and by divisions of the root. The species here described are greenhouse perennials, except where otherwise stated.

O. Acetosella (Acetosella).* Common Wood Sorrel. fl. white, beautifully veined with purple; petals oval, blunt; scapes longer than the leaves, one-flowered. Spring. l. obcordate, puberulous. Root of many scaly joints, creeping. h. 3in. Northern hemisphere (Britain). (Sy. En. B. 310.) Of this perennial species, there is a very interesting but somewhat rare variety, with deep rose-purple flowers.

O. arenaria (sand-loving).* fl. bright violet-purple, 1in. to 1 1/4in. across, disposed in umbels of three to ten. l. of three or four sessile, bilobo-obcordate leaflets, glaucous beneath. Rhizome of fleshy scales. h. 4in. Chili, 1875. Half-hardy perennial. (B. M. 6193.) O. articulata (jointed).* fl. bright mauve-pink, 1in. in diameter, produced in umbels, on elongated scapes. l. trifoliolate, with broadly obcordate leaflets, of a bright green, with reddish margins. Rootstock stout, woody, 2in. to 3in. high. South Brazil, 1870. A very distinct plant. (B. M. 6748.) O. Barrelieri (Barrelier's).* fl., petals yellow, with two orange spots at the base of each lamina, obcordate-cuneate, united by their claws; peduncles solitary, axillary from the upper leaves. March and April. l. spreading; leaflets three, drooping, rhombeo-ovate, glabrous. Stem 8in. to 12in. high. Brazil. Greenhouse annual. (B. M. 3748.) O. bipunctata (two-spotted-sepaled). fl. lilac, with deeper veins; petals truncate, unequally crenate; scape compressed, paniculately many-flowered, and (as well as the petioles) pilose. Spring. l., leaflets three, sessile, broadly obcordate, pubescent beneath, smooth above. h. 6in. Brazil, 1826. (B. M. 2781.) O. Bowiei (Bowie's).* fl. rose-red, yellowish at the base inside, large; peduncles about equal in length to the leaves, umbelliferous. August. l., leaflets three, obtuse, almost sessile, light green above, slightly pubescent underneath, ciliated. h. 6in. to 10in. Cape of Good Hope, 1824. An elegant species. (B. i. 25; B. R. 1585.) O. caprina. Goat's Foot. fl. bluish flesh-colour, with a yellow bottom, erect; scape umbelliferous, two or three-flowered. March to June. l., leaflets three, obcordately two-lobed, smooth, somewhat ciliated. Bulb ovate, triangular. h. 3in. Cape of Good Hope, 1757.

O. carnosa (fleshy). fl. yellow, with obtuse, emarginate, sometimes denticulated petals; scape two, three, or many-flowered. Autumn. l., leaflets nearly sessile, obcordate, fleshy, marked beneath with crystalline dots. Stem short, scaly. Root fusiform. h. 3in. to 6in. Chili, 1825. (B. M. 2866; B. R. 1063.) O. cernua (drooping). fl. yellow, at first drooping; scape umbelliferous, many-flowered. Spring. l., leaflets three, obcordately two-lobed, smooth, or a little ciliated. h. 6in. Cape of Good Hope, 1757. There is a variety, flore-pleno, having double flowers.

O. corniculata (horned).* fl. yellow, with emarginate petals; peduncles somewhat umbellate. Spring to autumn. l., leaflets obcordate. Stem decumbent, branched, rooting. Ubiquitous, except in very cold regions (Britain). Annual. (S. F. G. 451; Sy. En. B. 311.) O. c. rubra (red).* A very handsome, hardy, annual or biennial, distinguished from the type in having dark purple leaflets. It is a pretty plant for edging, and for growing in small patches; but it increases so rapidly that it often becomes a weed.

O. crenata (scolloped-petaled). fl. yellow, striped with parple; petals crenated; peduncles umbelliferous, five or six-flowered, longer than the leaves. September. l., leaflets obovate. Stem erect, leafy. h. 2ft. Lima, 1829. Greenhouse annual. (S. B. F. G. ser. ii. 125.) O. Deppei (Deppe's). A synonym of O. tetraphylla.

O. elegans (elegant).* fl. purple, large; sepals acuminated, with two spots at the top of each; scapes very long, two to six-flowered. July. l., leaflets three, broad, roundish-obovate, emarginate, violet on the under surface, and, as well as the petioles, smooth. h. 6in. Peru. Plant stemless. (B. M. 4490.) O. enneaphylla (nine-leaved); fl. white or pale rose-coloured, with purple veins; peduncles the length of the leaves. June. l., leaflets from nine to twenty, usually in two series, smooth, glaucous, obcordate, wedge-shaped, almost bifid. Stipe creeping at base, scaly. h. 4in. Fuegia, 1876. Hardy perennial. (B. M. 6256.) O. floribunda (bundle-flowered). A synonym of O. rosea. O. grandiflora (large-flowered). A synonym of O. variabilis albiflora. O. hirta (hairy).* fl. varying from pale violet to deep red; peduncles one-flowered, axillary. l. sub-sessile, with narrow-lanceolate or linear leaflets, glabrous above and hairy beneath. h. 3in. Cape of Good Hope. O. h. fulgida (shining). fl. of a beautiful purple colour. September to November. Cape of Good Hope, 1820. (B. R. 1073.) O. h. rosacea (rose-coloured). fl. deep red, pale outside, with yellowish claws. Cape of Good Hope, 1793. (B. R. 1031, under name of O. rubella). O. incarnata (flesh-coloured). fl. pale flesh-coloured, with very long styles; peduncles the length of the leaves, one-flowered. Spring. l. stalked, several at remote distances, in whorls. Stem weak, erect, purple, branched, smooth, leafy. Roots of two or three fusiform legs. h. 6in. Cape of Good Hope, 1739. O. lasiandra (woolly-stamened).* fl. crimson, finely pubescent on the outside, large, borne in umbels of about twenty. Summer. l. digitate; leaflets 3in. long, 1in. broad, oval-spathulate, wavy at the edges, dark green, paler underneath, and spotted with crimson. h. 9in. to 18in. Mexico, 1840. (B. M. 3896.) O. lasiopetala (hairy-petaled). fl., petals deep rose-colour, oblique; peduncle elongated, terminated by a many-flowered cyme. l. radical, numerous, on long, terete petioles; leaflets large, obcordate, with a deep notch. Root tuberous and nodose. Buenos Ayres an Monte Video. (B. M. 3932.) O. latifolia (broad-leaved). fl. violet, a little smaller than those of O. carnosa; scapes six or seven-flowered. l., leaflets three, somewhat deltoid, emarginately two-lobed, ciliated. h. 6in. Mexico.

O. lobata (lobed).* fl. yellow, spotted with red; sepals acute; scapes longer than the leaves. October and November. l., leaflets obcordate, rather glaucous beneath. h. 3in. Chili, 1823. Plant smooth, stemless. Hardy. (B. M. 2386.) O. lupinifolia (Lupine-leaved). fl. yellow; scape one-flowered, length of petiole. Autumn. l., leaflets seven or eight, lanceolate, acutish, smooth, spotted at the base. h. 3in. Cape of Good Hope, 1775. O. luteola (yellowish). fl. yellow; scapes one-flowered, length of leaves, with two bracts a little above the middle. January to September. l., leaflets obcordate, somewhat retuse. Roots bulbous. h. 3in. Cape of Good Hope, 1823. Plant hairy.

O. Martiana (Martius').* fl. deep purple-rose colour, disposed in ample cymes on radical scapes; petals cuneate, oblique, a little hairy at back. l. radical, on long, flexuous petioles; leaflets large, obcordate, approaching triangular, with a rather deep but sharp sinus. Argentine Republic. (B. M. 3938.) O. monophylla (one-leaved). fl. pale purplish, with a yellowish tube, the filaments bearing glandular hairs; scapes one-flowered. Autumn. l. simple, ovate, retuse. h. 2in. Cape of Good Hope, 1795. SYN. O. rostrata. O. Neaei glabrata (Nee's glabrous). fl. whitish, minute, inconspicuous, disposed in axillary cymes. l. trifoliolate; leaflets ovate. Mexico, 1872. (Ref. B. 292.) O. Ortgiesii (Ortgies'). fl. yellow, small, in dichotomous, axillary cymes. l. trifoliolate, on long, red stalks; leaflets ovate, triangular, dark olive-green above, purple beneath, with a broad, angular notch cut from the apex. Stems purplish, erect. Roots fibrous. h. 1ft. Andes of Peru, 1875. (R. G. 817.) O. pentaphylla (five-leaved). fl. lilac or rosy-flesh-coloured, with yellowish base; peduncles one-flowered, longer than the leaves. Spring to antumn. l., leaflets five, linear, rather entire at the apex. Stem somewhat erect, naked below. h. 6in. Cape of Good Hope, 1800. (B. M. 1549.) O. purpurea (purple). fl. purple; scapes one-flowered, longer than the leaves, with two bracts under the middle. Autumn. l., leaflets roundish, wedge-shaped. Roots bulbous. h. 3in. Cape of Good Hope, 1812.

O. rosea (rose-coloured).* fl. rose, the petals crenated at the apex; peduncles bifid, corymbosely-racemose at the apex, four times longer than the leaves. Spring. l., leaflets three, obcordate. Stem erect, fleshy, leafy. h. 6in. to 12in. Chili, 1823. (B. M. 2415 and 2830; B. R. 1123, under name of O. floribunda.) O. rostrata (beaked). A synonym of O. monophylla.

O. rubella (ruddy). A synonym of O. hirta rosacea.

O. stricta (upright).* fl. yellow; peduncles axillary, two to six-flowered, longer than the leaves. April to December. l. trifoliolate; leaflets obcordate. Stems branching, leafy. h. 1 1/2ft. North America, 1658 (naturalised in Britain). Hardy annual. (Sy. En. B. 312.) O. tetraphylla (four-leaved).* fl. lurid red or purplish-violet, large; umbels many-flowered; scape and petioles loosely pilose. June. l., leaflets large, obcordate, pilose, glaucous beneath, on short petioles. Bulbs large, scaly. Mexico, 1827. A very handsome, hardy perennial, thriving in almost any situation. (L. B. C. 1500; S. B. F. G. ser. ii. 96, under name of O. Deppei.) O. tortuosa (twisted). fl. umbellate; petals yellow, usually bordered with red. June. l., leaflets linear, obtuse, pilose beneath. Stem fleshy, scaly. h. 6in. Chili, 1826. (B. R. 1249.) O. tuberosa (tuberous). fl., peduncles umbelliferous. l., leaflets ovate. Stem branched. Root tuberculate. h. 5ft. Bolivia, 1853. The tuberous roots, when cooked, are used, by the Chilians, as an article of food. (R. G. 1126.) O. valdiviensis (Valdivian).* fl. deep yellow, with a reddish streak, particularly on the outside, disposed in small clusters on the ends of the very long peduncles. Summer. l., leaflets cordate, with very rounded lobes. h. 6in. to 8in. Chili, 1862. A charming, hardy annual. (R. G. 626.) O. variabilis (variable).* fl. white or red; pedicels equal to or longer than the leaves. October to December. l., leaflets roundish, the middle one cuneated at the base. h. 3in. Cape of Good Hope, 1795. Plant stemless. (B. R. 1505.) O. v. albiflora (white-flowered). fl., limb of corolla white, large; scapes as long as the petioles. July. (B. M. 1683, under name of O. grandiflora.) O. v. rubra (red). fl., corolla red; scapes longer than the petioles. September to November. (B. M. 1712.) O. v. speciosa (showy). fl. rose-purple; styles very long; scapes one-flowered, about equal in length to the petioles. Autumn. l. stalked, with three roundish leaflets. h. 3in. 1690.

O. versicolor (various-coloured).* fl. white inside and reddish outside; styles very long, and as well as the filaments beset, with glandular hairs. Early spring. l., leaflets three, linear, emarginate, with two red glands beneath. Stem declinate, naked at the base. h. 3in. Cape of Good Hope, 1774. (B. M. 155.) O. violacea (violet-coloured). fl. pink, erectish, with a short involucre; scape umbelliferous, three to nine-flowered. Spring to autumn. l., leaflets three, obcordate, smooth, reddish underneath. Bulbs fusiform, black. h. 3in. North America, 1772. Hardy perennial. (B. M. 2215.)