Skip to main content

Oxalis polyphylla

Jacq.

Oxalidaceae Edible: Flower stalks, Bulbs, Root 2,703 iNaturalist observations

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

(c) Carina Lochner, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Carina Lochner

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

(c) Marge, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Marge

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

(c) lennartn, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by lennartn

Oxalis polyphylla, the finger sorrel, is a species of flowering plant in the family Oxalidaceae. It is native to the southern Cape Provinces of South Africa. A geophyte with a bulb that is often gummy, it can reach 20 cm (8 in) in height, and is found growing both on rocky outcrops and in flat areas.

Description

A herb. It grows 20 cm tall. It has a bulb. The leaves are at the top and have 3 leaflets. The flowers are red or white with a yellow tube.

This description is brief — help expand it

Edible Uses

The bulbs, roots, and flower stalks are edible.

Distribution

It is a subtropical plant. It grows between 100-300 m above sea level in South Africa.

Where It Grows

Africa, South Africa*, Southern Africa,

Synonyms

Oxalis amoena Jacq.Oxalis filifolia Jacq.

References (3)

  • De Vynk, J. C., et al, 2016, Indigenous edible plant use by contemporary Khoe-San descendants of South Africa's Cape South Coast. South African Journal of Botany. 102 (2016) 60-69
  • Ruiters-Welcome, A. K., 2019, Food plants of southern Africa. Ph.D. thesis. Univ. of Johannesburg p 84
  • Welcome, A. K. & Van Wyk, B.-E., 2019, An inventory and analysis of the food plants of southern Africa. South African Journal of Botany 122 (2019) 136–179

More from Oxalidaceae