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. Photo #1 was taken by Sheila Burrow and photos 2-3 by Bill Dijk, including one with a good display of flowers. Photos 4-5 were taken by Mary Sue Ittner. The first of those was taken September 2006 near Middelpos in the Roggeveld of the leaves. Also shown in this photo is Romulea subfistulosa. The last shows bulbs on a 1 cm grid.
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 pardalis MV7632 is a fall to early winter blooming species with thin, thread-like bronzy foliage on a busy plant. It is topped by a long period of medium pink flowers. Although it was received without a species name, it has been identified by Dr. Leanne Dreyer, who was rather certain it was a part of the Oxalis pardalis group. Text from Ron Vanderhoff, photos from Mary Sue Ittner including a photo of the bulbs on a 1 cm. grid.
Oxalis pes-caprae known as the Bermuda Buttercup has become a major weed in many Mediterranean areas of the world. It grows in sandy soil in Namibia, Namaqualand and the western Cape. 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. 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.
Habitat pictures below. Number 1 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 first photo below is a cream colored form found among the normal yellows pictured above at Calvinia. Photo by Christiaan van Schalkwyk. The next two photos are of double forms. The first picture from Bill Dijk is a double form sometimes seen under the name Oxalis cernua. The second was collected in Oorlogskloof. Photo by Pieter van der Walt.
Photos taken by Mary Sue Ittner on the Mendocino Sonoma Coast where it has escaped.
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. Photo 5 from Kiyel Boland also shows the bulbils which could easily be confused with seed.
Oxalis polyphylla var. 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. The last photo shown from Mary Sue Ittner is of the bulbs on a 1 cm. grid.
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 is widespread on flats and slopes from Namaqualand to Caledon in the Overberg. It is stemless with a few leaves divided into 3 rounded leaflets at ground level. Leaves are hairless above, but often hairy and purple below and flowers may be purple, violet, rose, salmon or white with a yellow tube.This species naturalizes in some areas which may make it seem like a delightful plant to some and a weed to others. The first two photos by Christiaan van Schalkwyk of cream and pink flowered forms. The second and third were taken by Mary Sue Ittner near Tulbagh and at Table Mountain National Park.
Oxalis purpurea white forms. 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." Photos 3 and 4 were taken by Ron Vanderhoff and include a double flowered form. The last photo shown from Mary Sue Ittner is of the bulbs of her white form on a 1 cm. grid.
Oxalis purpurea 'Garnet' has purple leaves and bright pink flower and is easily grown in a pot. Photos #1-2 by Bob Rutemoeller and #3 from Kristina Van Wert, Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens bulb collection. Photo #4 from Bill Dijk is of another purple leaved variety known in New Zealand as 'Nigrescens'.
There are many forms available for cultivation. Some of them are pictured below. Photo #1 from Mary Sue Ittner of one referred to as 'Skar'. Photo #2 of 'Gran Duchess Pink'. Photos #3-4 of 'Cherry'. Photo #5 of 'Lavender and White'. Photos 2-5 taken by Ron Vanderhoff. Photo #6 from Bill Dijk.
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