OEBANIAOE^. 



25 



In this case tlie petiole may be dilated into a phyllodium at the 

 summit of which the limb may be reduced to a very small size or 



. Oxalis purpurata. OxaUs artieulata. 



Oxalis (Biophi/tum) sensitiva. 



Fig. 65. Habit. Fig. 66. Habit. 



even disappear altogether. But "what is more variable in this genus 

 is the organization and form of the stem. This is sometimes aerial, 

 cylindrical, and -woody or herbaceous. 

 Elsewhere it consists of a rhizome more 

 or less swollen and fleshy in the cortical 

 parts (fig. 64, 65), its evolutions presenting 

 pretty numerous variations. It may be- 

 come a reservoir of sap and present a cylindri- 

 cal form, thick, or nearly globular, resembling 

 a full bulb (fig. 68) like one or several roots 

 which then take the form of conical taproots 

 and certain buds, sometimes terminal some- 

 times axillary fig. (64,65). These buds, be- 

 coming quite fleshy and covered with scars, 



may appear like tubers of the Potato (fig. 68), and in this case 

 especially they become edible. The flowers^ are axillary, solitary 



Fig. 67. Dehiscent fruit. 



Sleep-phenomena have teen noticed in a great 

 number of apeoies of OxaUs with plurifoliolate 

 leaves (fig. 56). 

 VOL. V. 



1 WhitO; yellow, pink, purple, or diverge. 

 Coloured, or shaded. 



