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Oxalis tetraphylla

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A wild Mexican plant by Alejandro Linares Garcia, Wikimedia.org.


The corm from Ivynettle.wordpress.com.


The flowers from Gardenia.net.


The leaves from Glantis.info.


A plant in culture by Maja Dumat, Flickr.com.

Author: 

Antonio José Cavanilles, 1794

Family: 

OXALIDACEAE

Origin: 

Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama (Assam, Austria, Cameroon, France, Great Britain, India, Java, Korea, Réunion Island, Vietnam, West Himalaya, Yugoslavia)

Soil: 

Mix

Water: 

Medium - Maximum

Sun: 

Medium - Maximum

Thickness: 

4 Centimetres

Height: 

15-30 Centimetres

Flower: 

Deep Pink

Propagate: 

Seeds/Corms

Names: 

Iron Cross. Lucky Clover, Four-leaf Sorrel

Synonyms: 

Oxalis deppei, G. Lodd. ex Sweet, 1831.
Oxalis esculenta,
Otto & Dietr.1835.
Oxalis zonata,
Lej. 1836.
Acetosella deppei,
Kuntze, 1891.
Acetosella tetraphylla, Kuntze, 1891.
Ionoxalis cuernavacana, Rose, 1906.
Ionoxalis tetraphylla, Rose, 1906.
Ionoxalis deppei, Small, 1907.
Ionoxalis divaricata, Small, 1907.
Ionoxalis mucronata, Rose, 1907.
Ionoxalis scopulorum, Rose, 1907.
Oxalis cuernavacana, R. Knuth, 1919.
Oxalis hayi, R. Knuth, 1919.
Oxalis mucronata, R. Knuth, 1919.
Oxalis pseudotetraphylla R. Knuth, 1919.
Oxalis scopulorum, R. Knuth, 1919.
Oxalis quadrifolia, R. Knuth, 1930.
Oxalis chiriquensis, Woodson, 1937.
Sassia tetraphylla, Holub.
Oxalis tetraphylla var. guerreroensis, Denton.
Oxalis tetraphylla
var. mexicana, Denton.

This member of the Oxalidaceae family was given this name by Antonio José Cavanilles in 1794. It is found in from Mexico down to Panama, and is brought around the world. It is growing in a well drained soil, but is not really picky, with quite some water and some to lots of sun. The caudex can grow to four centimetres in diameter, the entire plant from ten to 30 centimetres in height. The flowers are deep pink.

The genera name means 'sharp, pungent', as to leaf taste. The species name from Latin; tetra; 'four' and Latin phylla; 'leaves'.


Oxalis deppei should be a synonym.


Flowering plant from Gardens4you.eu.