Oxalis magellanica
Content
Description
Stemless herb with stolons, without bulbs.
Stipules much broader than the petiole, conspicuous, membranaceous, brown, glabrous.
Flowers solitary, only LF.
Sepals elliptic to obovate-oblong, 3-5 by 1 1½-2¼ mm, acute to truncate and minutely 3-lobed (apex or middle lobe cucullate, sometimes inconspicuous by the hairs, seemingly callose), sparsely to moderately pubescent and somewhat glaucous, margined, slightly shorter to equal to the fruit.
Petals white, 8-11½ by 4-6 mm, spathulate, somewhat oblique, apex rounded to emarginate, glabrous to ± ciliate.
Ovary 1-2 by 1-2 mm, glabrous;
Fruit 3-6 by 3-5 mm, glabrous, finally nodding.
Seeds 1-3 per cell, 1½ by 1 mm, ± flattened-ovoid, shiny, brownish, smooth to slightly lengthwise furrowed.
Distribution
Asia-Tropical, Australasia: Tasmania (Tasmania present), Finisterre Range present, Kubor Range present, New Guinea, on the high mountains present, New Zealand present, Otto present, Sarawaket Range present, Southern Andine S. America present, Victorian Alps present, Wilhelm present, Wilhelmina present
Southern Andine S. America, New Zealand, Tasmania, and the Victorian Alps; in Malesia: New Guinea, on the high mountains (Wilhelm, Otto, Kubor Range, Finisterre Range, Sarawaket Range, Wilhelmina), 2200-3700 m.
Notes
According to SKOTTSBERG l.c. the S. American specimens would differ in having less distinctly obcordate leaflets, peduncles not exceeding 1 cm, and flowers only c. 5 mm across. The New Zealand botanists accordingly call the species in New Zealand O. lactea, but ALLAN added that some specimens from Chile (in K) approach the New Zealand form.
A comparative study of Chilean, Australasian, and Papuan specimens showed that SKOTTSBERG'S differentiation does not hold and that only one species is concerned.
A comparative study of Chilean, Australasian, and Papuan specimens showed that SKOTTSBERG'S differentiation does not hold and that only one species is concerned.
Citation
Hook.f. 1853: p. 42. – In: Fl. Nov. Zel.: fig.
FORST. f. 1860 – In: Fl. Tasm.: 59
Hook.f. 1864: Handb. N. Zeal. Fl.: 38
KNUTH 1930 – In: Pfl. R.: 230
CHEESEMAN 1925: Man. N. Zeal. Fl., ed. 2: 536
ALLAN 1961 – In: Fl. N. Zeal.: 238
SKOTTSB. 1915 – In: The Plant World: 129
REICHE 1896 – In: Fl. Chile: 339
Benth. 1863 – In: Fl. Austr.: 300
CURTIS 1956 – In: Stud. Fl. Tasm.: 96