Oxalis albicans

Herbs perennial, caulescent, rhizomes and stolons absent, bulbs absent. Aerial stems usually 2–8 from base, usually decumbent to prostrate, less commonly ascending, sporadically rooting at nodes, 10–40 cm, becoming woody proximally, puberulent to hirtellous-puberulent, hairs usually antrorsely curved or crisped, sometimes ± straight, nonseptate, longer hairs 0.2–0.3(–0.8) mm. Leaves basal and cauline; stipules rudimentary or oblong, margins narrowly flanged, apical auricles absent; petiole (1–)3–7(–10) cm, hairs nonseptate; leaflets 3, glaucous and gray-green to yellowish green, obcordate, 5–10(–15) mm, lobed 1/5–1/3 length, surfaces glabrous to loosely strigose, oxalate deposits absent. Inflorescences umbelliform cymes, 1–2(–3)-flowered; peduncles 1.5–5 cm. Flowers semihomostylous, within level of leaves; sepal apices without tubercles, surfaces strigose to hirsute-strigose; petals yellow, rarely with red lines proximally, 6–10(–12) mm. Capsules angular-cylindric, abruptly tapering to apex, 14–20 mm, strigose-hirsute. Seeds brown to blackish brown, transverse ridges rarely with whitish lines or spots.

Phenology: Flowering Apr–Aug(–Oct).
Habitat: Desert scrub, grasslands, mesquite-acacia, pinyon-juniper, oak-pine-juniper, oak-buckthorn, riparian woodlands (sycamore-hackberry-walnut-ash-willow), stream banks, meadows, washes, hillsides, ravines, canyons, disturbed sites.
Elevation: (600–)700–1900(–2100) m.

Ariz., N.Mex., Tex., Mexico, Central America (Guatemala).

Discussion

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa