1249 



OXALIS* tortudsa. 

 Tortuous Oxalis. 



DECANDRIA PENTAGYNIA. 



Nat. ord. Oxalide^e, 



OXALIS. — Supr^, vol. 2.fol. 117. 



Div, Caprinee. Acaules aut stipite nudo apice tantum folioso donatce, 

 pedunculis uni- bi- aut scepiiis midtifloris, foliis radicalibus petiolatis pluri- 

 foliolatis, scepiiis trifoliolatis.—Dec. prodr. 1. 695. 

 O. tortuosa; caule carnoso sqiiamoso, foliolis 3 linearibus obtusis subti\s 



pilosis, floribus umbellatis, pedunculo petiolisque tortuosis subsequalibus 



carnosis. 



Caulis tortuosus, carnosus, squamosus, palmaris et ultrcL, in apice foliosus. 

 Petioli atrovirides, Jiliformes, curnosi ; foliola parva, linearia, carnosa, 

 subobtusa, subtus pilosa. Pedunculi petiolis similes, sed paulb longiores. 

 Umbelli multiflori. Sepala triangularia v. rhomboidea, obtusa, paulb erosa, 

 margine anteriore colorato. Petala lutea, cuneata, sanguineo magis minusve 

 marginata. Stamina stylis subcequalia. Ovaria polysperma. 



A native of Chile, where it was found growing very 

 sparingly in the neighbourhood of Valparaiso, by Mr. James 

 M'Rae, in October 1825. 



Our drawing was made in the Garden of the Horticul- 

 tui-al Society in June 1828. The plant is kept in the 

 Greenhouse, where it grows with a tortuous scaly stem to 

 the height of a foot or thereabouts. 



The O. carnosa figured at fol. 1063 of this work has, 

 since it was published, ceased to produce its blossoms 

 singly, or in pairs; but now developes them in many- 

 flowered umbels. It would therefore be more properly 



* 0|«a;j is the Greek name for sorrel, so called on account of the 

 acidity of the leaves. This genus is also acid, in as great a degree as sorrel, 

 for which It is actually substituted in the countries where it grows. 



