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Common Yellow Wood-sorrel - Oxalis stricta
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State Rank Reason (see State Rank above)
Oxalis stricta is probably adventive in Canada and the western U.S. (Nesom in Flora of North America [FNA] 2016; Giblin et al. [eds.] 2018). Since the late 1960s plants have been occasionally reported or collected from gardens, lands adjacent to urban areas, Green Ash woody draws, and grasslands in Montana (Booth 1966; https://www.pnwherbaria.org/ accessed on September 8, 2020). Many reports are old and unverified. Information from accurately identified populations, that bring forth information on its locations, abundance, habitat, and ecology are needed. A conservation status rank is not applicable (SNA) because the plant is likely an exotic (non-native) in Montana that is not a suitable target for conservation activities.
General Description
PLANTS : Short-lived perennial plants that are short-rhizomatous. Stems are ascending to erect, 10–50 cm. Stems have multi-cellular hairs that are long, soft, crooked, and unmatted (villous) with purple cross-walls (septate). Source: Lesica et al. 2012.LEAVES : Leaves are alternately arranged on the stem with long petioles. Leaves are divided palmately into 3 leaflets. Leaflets are obcordate in shape, glabrate, and 1–2 cm long. Stipules are absent. Source: Lesica et al. 2012.INFLORESCENCE : Yellow-flowered bracteate umbels that grow from leaf axils. Umbels consist of 5-7 flowers, each with a stem (petiole) that radiate from a long peduncle. Flowers perfect, regular, and hypogynous. Sepals are green, distinct, and 3–5 mm long. Petals are yellow, distinct, and 4–9 mm long. Capsules are 5–15 mm long with septate-villous hairs. Sources: Lesica et al. 2012; Nesom in FNA 2016).Oxalis comes from the Greek word oxys which means 'acid' and -alis which refers to its medicinal use (Nesom in FNA 2016).
Phenology
Flowers from (April) July to October across its range (Nesom in FNA 2016).
Diagnostic Characteristics
Montana has 3
Oxalis species.
Common Yellow Wood-sorrel -
Oxalis stricta , likely exotic
*Habit: A tall, erect forb with short, simple rhizomes. Stems do not root at the leaf nodes.
*Hairs: Multi-cellular with purple cross-walls (septate).
*Capsules: Sparsely covered with long, stiff (hirsute) hairs.
Dillen's Wood-sorrel -
Oxalis dillenii , likely native
*Habit: A tall, erect forb with short, simple rhizomes. Stems do not root at the leaf nodes.
*Hairs: Long pointed (strigose to villous) but without cross-walls; hairs not septate.
*Capsules: Covered with stiff, straight, sharp,
and appressed hairs (strigose).
Creeping Wood-sorrel -
Oxalis corniculata , exotic
*Habit: A tall, erect forb with short, simple rhizomes. Stems root at the leaf nodes.
*Hairs: Sparsely strigose to strigose-villous to villous, but without cross-walls; hairs not septate.
*Capsules: Sparsely covered with long, stiff (hirsute) hairs.
Species Range
Range Comments
Throughout most of temperate North America (Nesom in FNA 2016).
Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
Number of Observations: 12
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Relative Density
Recency
(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)
Habitat
Prairie ravines, riverbanks, sandbars, low woods, mesic forests, floodplains, roadsides, fields, lawns, and gardens from 20 to 1,200 meters in elevation across its range (Nesom in FNA 2016).
Ecology
PHYSIOLOGY Leaflets fold up at night, and unfold in the mornings to begin photosynthesizing (Lesica et al. 2012).
POLLINATORS The following animal species have been reported as pollinators of this plant species or its genus where their geographic ranges overlap:
Bombus pensylvanicus (Colla and Dumesh 2010).
Reproductive Characteristics
Plants reproduce from seeds and rhizomes.FRUIT
Stewardship Responsibility
References
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