OXALIDACE^E OXALIS FAMILY 



Oxalis stricta, L. 



Yellow Sheep Sorrel, 



Upright Yellow Wood Sorrel, 

 May-August Poison Sheep Sorrel, 



Toad Sorrel, 



Ladies' Sour-grass, 



Sheep-poison, 



Sour-grass. 



Oxalis: from Greek for sour. 

 Stricta: Latin for constricted. 



THE PREFERRED HABITAT: gardens and neglected ground. 



THE PLANT: erect, five inches to six inches high; usually 

 branched at the base; the branches spreading; the stem 

 set with sharp, stiff, flattened hairs. 



THE LEAVES: opposite; pale green; compound, leaflets 

 three, with short, soft hairs on both surfaces, petioled 

 closing when the stem is cut. 



THE FLOWERS: in umbel-like cymes on long, stout stems. 

 The pedicels at length bent down. Petals pale yellow, 

 often with a reddish spot near the base. 



THE FRUIT: a capsule, sharp pointed, breaking open at a 

 touch. 



A pretty weed, with dainty, compound clover-like 

 leaves and small yellow flowers that often have a red spot 

 near the base. A pretty plant, but not a satisfactory one 

 to pick. When the stem has been cut and when night 

 comes, the sensitive leaves droop. 



The distinction between this species and others is that in 

 this the seed-vessel finally stands at an angle with the stem. 



One other member of the Oxalis Family has been re- 

 ported. 



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