There are more than 200 species of Oxalis in South Africa and 270 varieties and probably many new species as well. The only handbook on the Southern African species, by Salter, is almost sixty years old and out of print so there are many challenges in identifying them. Cape Plants, a conspectus of the Cape flora of South Africa by Peter Goldblatt and John Manning lists 118 in the Cape Floral Kingdom but there is only a brief botanical description, location sometimes with habitat information, and time of bloom in this book. South African species P are found on this wiki page.
South African Oxalis A-B - South African Oxalis C - South African Oxalis D-E - South African Oxalis F-G -South African Oxalis H-K - South African Oxalis L-M - South African Oxalis N-O - South African Oxalis R-S - South African Oxalis T-Z - South American Oxalis - Miscellaneous Oxalis - Oxalis index
Oxalis palmifrons, is a winter growing species from the Western Karoo of South Africa with interesting leaves. This one is difficult to get to bloom in cultivation. It may need a deep pot. The first photo was taken by Sheila Burrow and the next two by Bill Dijk, including one with a good display of flowers. The last photograph was taken by Mary Sue Ittner taken September 2006 near Middelpos in the Roggeveld of the leaves. Also shown Romulea subfistulosa.
Oxalis pardalis is found in the winter rainfall areas, usually in heavier soils, and has trifoliolate leaves and flowers in many different colors. It blooms in the fall. Photo by Bill Dijk.
Oxalis pes-caprae known as the Bermuda Buttercup has become a major weed in many Mediterranean areas of the world.
It is a tall robust species that develops numerous bulbils and has bright yellow flowers in an umbel. The leaves are trifoliate, often with purple edges or dots. Photos taken by Mary Sue Ittner on the Mendocino Sonoma Coast where it has escaped.
The first picture from Bill Dijk is a double form (syn. Oxalis cernua). The second from Christiaan van Schalkwyk is a cream coloured from found among masses of normal yellows near Calvinia. See below for habitat shot.
Habitat pictures below. The first shows masses of flowers near Calvinia. Photo by Christiaan van Schalkwyk. The second was taken near Brackenfell by Mary Sue Ittner. Three through five were taken near Nieuwoudtville by Mary Sue Ittner and Bob Rutemoeller.
The double form of Oxalis pes-caprae collected in Oorlogskloof. Photo by Pieter van der Walt.
Oxalis pes-caprae could be and is often confused with some similar species, namely O. compressa, O. copiosa and O. haedulipes. See the text at Oxalis copiosa as to how to distinguish between these species.
Oxalis pocockiae is similar in appearance to O. depressa, but can be distinguished by looking at the bulbs - those of O. pocockiae have four longitudinal wings. It also produces numerous aerial bulbils, and often the flowers appear before the leaves. It is found over large parts of the Karoo, and therefore many different forms can be expected. Flowers have a wonderful scent similar to coconut. Photos 1-2 by Christiaan van Schalkwyk show the white form which is found east of Fraserburg, and the pink form is from Carnarvon. Photos 3-4 shows aerial bulbils which is produced copiously by each bulb.
Oxalis polyphylla heptaphylla, is a winter growing fall blooming South African species. The first photo was taken by Lyn Edwards. Photos two and three from Bob Rutemoeller are offsets from plants originally collected by Michael Vassar as MV6396 at Vanrhynsdorp, (South Africa, Northern Cape). It was described: succulent thread-like leaves with up to 8 leaflets to a stem; corms often gummy; large satiny-lavender flowers. It blooms in the fall.
Oxalis primuloides, or so I think! A small species from the Karoo. It has fairly thick bulbs with relation to its length, with brown papery tunics (Shown here on a 1 cm. square grid). Photos by Christiaan van Schalkwyk.
Oxalis pulchella is a polymorphous group of plants, ranging from glabrous to pilose/hirsute. Flower colour include white, pale yellow, yellow, salmon-rose and rose. The first form is from west of Steinkopf, Namaqualand, with very large flowers. The second form is from Koingnaas in Southern Namaqualand, and is totally glabrous. The last photo show the bulb structure, the plant slightly villose, from ENE of Kamieskroon. Photos by Christiaan van Schalkwyk.
Oxalis purpurea is a long blooming winter growing Oxalis that can naturalize in some areas which may make it seem like a delightful plant to some and a weed to others.
Oxalis purpurea 'Alba' This is a white form. The first photo was taken by Bill Dijk. The second one was taken by Mary Sue Ittner who wrote: "The flowers on this white flowered form were closing in the late afternoon. This one will bloom for many months if planted where it gets a lot of sun."
Oxalis purpurea 'Garnet' has purple leaves and bright pink flower and is easily grown in a pot. Photos by Bob Rutemoeller and Kristina Van Wert, Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens bulb collection.
This is another purple leaved variety. In New Zealand it is known as 'Nigrescens'. Photo by Bill Dijk.
Oxalis purpurea 'Skar' has rosy pink flowers. Photo from Mary Sue Ittner.
Oxalis purpurea yellow. Photo by Bill Dijk. Oxalis purpurea cream and pink. Photos by Christiaan van Schalkwyk.
Oxalis pusilla was once regarded as a variety of Oxalis glabra, but differs in root and bulb structure from that species. It is a small plant, and does not seem to multiply quickly (at least for me). The reddish-purple eye in the throat of the flowers are apparently rare. The bulbs are very small and round, with a pointed apex. The tunics are smooth and dark brown. The grid is 1 cm. Photos by Christiaan van Schalkwyk.
South African Oxalis A-B - South African Oxalis C - South African Oxalis D-E - South African Oxalis F-G -South African Oxalis H-K - South African Oxalis L-M - South African Oxalis N-O - South African Oxalis R-S - South African Oxalis T-Z - South American Oxalis - Miscellaneous Oxalis - Oxalis index