Oxalis corymbosa

Primary tabs

Oxalis corymbosa

Description

Stemless herb from bulbous base, no rhizome, no stolons; Inflorescence often up to twice forked; Sepals 3½-5(-6) by 1-2 mm, oblong, acute, apex minutely bifid to the 1-3 orbicular to oblong, with 2 orange, apical calli, ± puberulous, 3-5-nerved. Petals 11-20 by 4-7 mm, spathulate-oblong to -lanceolate, obtuse to truncate, often oblique, light reddish purple with darker veins, yellowish at base. Ovary 2 by 1 mm, abundantly ascendingly ciliate to glabrous; Fruit not seen.

Distribution

Asia-Tropical: Jawa (Jawa cultivated); Malaya cultivated; Philippines (Philippines cultivated), Luzon cultivated, W. Sumatra cultivated, tropical S. America
Native in tropical S. America, naturalized in many parts of the World; in Malesia cultivated and escaping in Java (introduced from Sydney before 1848), W. Sumatra, Malaya, and Philippines (Luzon).

Uses

Occasionally cultivated; the leaves are sometimes used as a substitute for tamarind (HEYNE).

Notes

O. articulata SAVIGNY () from Argentina, is often confused with this species. O. articulata differs in the presence of a tuberous rhizome, by the deeper obcordate leaflets that have large spots, and the denser pubescence.
O. violacea L. () from N. America, has emarginate, obdeltoid leaflets, epunctate with two brown calli at the notch.

Citation

BACK. 1911: Schoolfl. Java: 170
BACK. & BAKH.f. 1963 – In: Fl. Java: 246
BACK. & SLOOT. 1924: Handb. Thee: 155: t.
Ridl. 1922 – In: Fl. Mal. Pen.: 330
Merr. 1923 – In: En. Philip.: 323
HEYNE 1927: Nutt. Pl.: 851
SYMON 1961 – In: Trans. R. Soc. S. Austr.: 74
KNUTH 1930 – In: Pfl. R.: 250