Africa Wild

Index to Flowers in the Order Oxalidales

Family: Oxalidaceae (Oxalis Family)
Oxalis obliquifolia Sorrel https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.p ... 60#p283560
Oxalis pes-caprae Cape Sorrel https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.p ... 33#p240433
Oxalis purpurea Grand Duchess Sorrel https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.p ... 02#p241802

Cape Sorrel Oxalis pes-caprae (Geelsuring)
Order: Oxidales. Family: Oxalidaceae

© Tina
West Coast National Park

Description
It is a tall robust species that develops numerous bulbils and has bright yellow flowers in an umbel. Stemless perennial with the leaves mostly in basal tuft, divided into 3 wedge- shaped, notched heart-shaped leaflets that are usually hairless above and hairy beneath; bears clusters of 3-20 canary yellow flowers.

Distribution
Widespread and common from Namaqualand to the Eastern Cape. It occurs mainly in the Western Cape and has become a troublesome weed in many parts of the world.

Habitat
It grows in sandy soil.

Grand Duchess Sorrel Oxalis purpurea (Bobbejaansuring)
Order: Oxidales. Family: Oxalidaceae

© Tina
Kirstenbosch

Description
Oxalis purpurea is a long blooming winter growing dwarf geophyte seldom higher than 6 or 7 cm. Stemless perennial with leaves divided into 3 broadly heart-shaped leaflets that have fine hairs on the margins and are purple beneath, developing black streaks when dry. Each flower has five petals which flare like a trumpet during the day and furl at night or on overcast days. Flowers are usually pinky mauve to lilac and can be very dark and intensely coloured or very pale. Other less common colour forms include salmon, peach and pure white. Flowers always have a yellow throat. Flowers start to appear from early winter (May in SA) and will usually keep flowering until the plants go dormant. The fruit is small (size of a match head) and contains many tiny seeds which are dispersed by explosive dehiscence.

Distribution
Throughout the winter rainfall parts of South Africa, from Namaqualand to Caledon in the Overberg and into the Eastern Cape.

Habitat
Widespread on flats and slopes. Ittends to proliferate in disturbed areas like along the edges of paths and roads.

Links: A Photographic Guide to Wild Flowers of South Africa. Braam Van Wyk

Sorrel Oxalis obliquifolia (Skuinsblaarsuring)
Order: Oxidales. Family: Oxalidaceae

© Tina
Golden Gate Highlands National Park

Description
Perennial herb, growing from a vertical rhizome, bearing small bulbs Bulb c 1 cm long. It grows 7 to 10 cm tall and has numerousleaves, leaflets that are broader than long with broad tips, about 8 mm long. Very slender stalks with long hairs near the base. The flowers are up to 2.5 cm in diameter, solitary on stalk slightly longer than leaves, bright pink with a white throat and yellow tube. Flowering from November to February.

Distribution
Angola, DRC, Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa (Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga).

Habitat
A species of woodland and grassland in moist places. Above 1000 m, up to 3000 m.