Violet Wood-Sorrel (Oxalis violacea)
|
|
|
|
There is much confusion about the names oxalis and wood-sorrel. One idea is that the flowers of wood-sorrel are yellow while those of oxalis are pink or purple. The confusion is as much caused by the fact that two closely related species have a completely different growth habit. The name oxalis comes from the Genus Oxalis, while wood-sorrel is a common name. These plants are also sometimes mistaken for clover because of the similarity of leaf shape.
Here in Austin, both yellow-flowered and pink-flowered Oxalis species grow side by side. The violet wood-sorrel has large V-shaped leaves and pink flowers less than 1 inch across. The leaves and flower stems emerge separately from a bulb, with the foliage being present much more than the blossoms. Violet wood-sorrel responds to rain much like rain lilies, putting out a flush of blossoms when conditions are right, most frequently in the early spring and late autumn.
class: Magnoliopsida / order: Geraniales / family: Oxalidaceae / genus: Oxalis / species: violacea
| site by larvalbug |
