50 pbtch: 



Oxalis Deppei, and, was advertised for sale under that name 



as a vegetable in 1879 (Morris, Catalogue of Trees, &c., 



suitable for distribution). In 1908 it was re-introduced under 

 the name of Oxalis brasiliensis. 



On the evidence available it would appear that Oxalis 

 latifolia was introduced by the Botanic Gardens, prior to 1879, 

 and it is not yet a serious weed, except at Hakgala. The 

 common pest of tea estates is Oxalis corymbosa, anc" this began 

 to spread, about 1882, from a centre in Kotmale. 



The following are the more obvious points of difference 

 between the two species. In 0. latifolia the sides of the 

 leaflets are stuaight, or nearly so, so that the leaflets are 

 triangular, while in 0. corymbosa the sides of the leaflets are 

 rounded. When young the leaflets of 0. latifolia are frequently 

 marked with purple streaks, but in large full-grown specimens 

 they are, if anything, paler than those of 0. corymbosa. In 

 stunted specimens of 0. latifolia the leaves may be violet 

 underneath. The leaf-stalk of 0. latifolia is glabrous, that of 

 0. corymbosa hairy. The inflorescence of 0. corymbosa is 

 branched, that of 0. latifolia simple. 



In the flower the coloured area of the petal in 0. latifolia is 

 sharply differentiated from the lower greenish part, but in 

 0. corymbosa there is a gradual transition from the greenish 

 base to the purple-rose colour above, and the petals are strongly 

 veined. In all the Ceylon specimens examined the styles of 

 0. corymbosa are intermediate in length between the two sets 

 of stamens, and are bent outwards above at an angle of about 

 30° ; in 0. latifolia the styles are shorter than, or almost as 

 long as, the lower set of stamens, and are bent outwards 

 almost at right angles. 



Oxalis corymbosa produces bulbils at the apex of the 

 *' carrot." Oxalis latifolia, as a rule, produces short white 

 runners underground, each of which bears a bulbil at its 

 extremity ; but when the plant is growing on the surface of 

 the soil, these runners are more or less suppressed or shortened, 

 and the bulbils then have the appearance of being developed 

 in the same way as those of 0. corymbosa. Seeds have not 

 been found in either species in Ceylon. 



