Hi Jerry and All: Just my luck that the TOW on my favorite genus came while I was computerless for a week! I have the pale yellow form of O. lobata, and it came to me as O. perdicaria. The leaflets are the same as O. lobata - they are unusual in that one lobe of the leaflet stands up looking like Mickey Mouse ears. The flowers are pale yellow and have no scent at all, unlike the honey scent of O. lobata. They seem to have other anatomical differences, but since oxalis within the same species can have different configurations of style and filaments or anthers, I'm not sure what that means. This one seems a little less vigorous than O. lobata, but still grows under similar conditions and is not difficult. O. lobata and O. perdicaria are suitable for outdoor planting in the appropriate climates - they can both withstand several degrees of frost and are not invasive at all. Diana Telos ----- Original Message ----- From: <JFlintoff@aol.com> To: <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2003 9:25 AM Subject: [pbs] Oxalis on the wiki > Mary Sue and Arnold > > Oxalis perdicaria in the earlier name for O. lobata. The former was > first described in 1782 as Sassia perdicaria by Molina whereas the latter was > described by Sims in 1823. Even though perdicaria was described in a different > genus it still has priority over lobata. > > In the Encyclopedia of Alpines vol. 2 published by the Alpine Garden > Society of GB under O. perdicaria there is a discussion of another paler yellow > plant that grows with O.perdicaria that may be possibly an undescribed species. > I'd love to get one! > > O.perdicaria is hardy most years in zone 8 but in a really cold winter it > may be wiped out. I grow it in a pot in a frame. It is wonderful to bring > indoors in November/December to enjoy its great fragrance. > > By the bye the rather unusual adjective perdicaria pertains to the > Greek/Latin word perdix meaning partridge. I don't know if partridges are native > to S Am or introduced but I would imagine that they would be easily scratched > out of the ground for a snack. > > Jerry John Flintoff > Vashon Island,Washington,USA > Zone 8 > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php