Oxalis corniculata L.

Perennial with slender primary root. Stems prostrate to suberect, to c. 40 cm long, slender, weak, branched, often rooting at nodes, covered with spreading flexible hairs. Lvs 3-foliolate, alternate, sometimes appearing almost whorled on short lateral stems, green or purple. Petiole (0.5)–1–7 cm long, with spreading flexible hairs; stipules usually 2–3 mm long, broad, with free, truncate apex, nearly glabrous to densely covered in long hairs. Petiolules very short. Lamina of leaflets equal, (2.5)–5–18 × (3)–7–23 mm, broadly obcordate, glabrous or sparsely hairy, with densely hairy midrib below; sinus of lamina narrow or broad, extending 1/2 length of lamina; margin ciliate; calli 0; lobes 2, usually rounded, occasionally leaflets not lobed. Infl. 1–5-flowered; peduncle 1–4 cm long, to 9.5 cm long at fruiting, with antrorse hairs; pedicels < peduncles, with antrorse hairs. Bracts 2–3.2 mm long, linear-subulate or linear-lanceolate, nearly glabrous, or hairy at base of pedicels; calli 0. Sepals 3–4.5–(5.2) mm long, elliptic-lanceolate, elliptic-ovate to elliptic-obovate, with antrorse hairs; margins sometimes red; calli 0. Petals 4.5–10–(13) mm long, oblong-obovate, yellow, glabrous. Stamens at 2 levels; filaments glabrous, connate towards base. Styles < =, or a little > longer stamens, densely hairy. Capsule (6)–10–18–(20) mm long excluding styles, cylindric, usually densely clothed in short, simple, eglandular, ± retrorse hairs, or sometimes hairs sparser and then also with scattered, long, wide, curly, septate hairs, occasionally glabrous. Seed 1–1.3–(1.7) cm long, broad-ellipsoid, dark purplish brown; transverse ridges 4–10, either subacute with deep grooves between and sometimes white-topped, or obtuse with shallow grooves.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Jan.–Dec.