Oxalis stricta
Oxalis stricta, called the common yellow woodsorrel, common yellow oxalis, or upright yellow-sorrel is a herbaceous plant.
Habitat
O. stricta is native to North America and East Asia and has been introduced elsewhere, especially in Europe. It was not documented in Michigan before the 1890s.It tends to grow in woodlands, meadows, and in disturbed areas as both a perennial and annual. and generally requires dry or moist, alkaline soils, preferring sandy and loamy dirt to grow in. It requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor grounds.
Commonly considered a weed of gardens, fields, and lawns, it grows in full sun or shade.
Description
Upright yellow woodsorrel is an annual or short-lived perennial plant that has short rhizomes, but never has bulbs. The alternate leaves of this plant are divided into three distinctively heart-shaped leaflets '' that can grow up to 2 cm wide. These leaves curl up at night, and open in the day to perform photosynthesis.The flowers of the plant are hermaphroditic, blooming from July to October.
The mature seed capsules open explosively when disturbed and can disperse seeds up to 4 meters away.
Erect when young, this plant later becomes decumbent as it lies down, and branches regularly.
It is not to be confused with similar plants in the same genus which are also often referred to as "yellow woodsorrel".
Taxonomy
Oxalis stricta was given its scientific name in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus. It is classified in the genus Oxalis within the family Oxalidaceae. It has synonyms including 29 species names.Names
Oxalis stricta is known by the common name common yellow woodsorrel, also spelled common yellow wood-sorrel and common yellow wood sorrel, but this name has also been applied to Oxalis dillenii. Additionally it is called yellow sheepsorrel, sheep shower, and stickwort.It is known as sour grass for the agreeably sour flavor of the leaves and unripe pods. Similarly, it is informally called sour clover, sauerkraut, and pickles, particularly by children. Other sour names include sour trefoil, wood sour, pickel plant, and lemon clover. For the shape of its seed capsule it is sometimes named sour bananas.
In the early 1900s it was called lady's sorrel in the United States, however both Oxalis corniculata and Oxalis acetosella are also known as lady's sorrel. It was also known as upright yellow wood-sorrel, sheep sorrel, and sheep poison around the same time in the US.
Cultivation
Culinary uses
All parts of the plant are edible, with a distinct tangy flavor. The leaves taste mild, with a similar taste to lemons. Lemon clover is often eaten while hiking or camping. However, it should only be eaten in small quantities, since oxalic acid is an antinutrient and can inhibit the body's absorption of calcium. The sour favor is elimiated when the plant is cooked.[Image:Oxalis stricta0.jpg|right|thumb|Oxalis stricta, showing seed pods.]
The leaves and flowers of the plant are sometimes added to salads for decoration and flavoring. These can also be chewed raw as a thirst-quencher. The green pods are pleasant raw, having a juicy crisp texture and a tartness similar to rhubarb in flavor.
The leaves can be used to make a flavored drink that is similar in taste to lemonade, and the whole plant can be brewed as herbal tea that has an aroma somewhat like that of cooked green beans.
The juices of the plant have been extracted from its greens as a substitute to common vinegar.
Practical uses
An orange dye can be obtained by boiling the whole plant.Medicinal uses
Oxalis stricta contains large amounts of vitamin C, and has been used to treat scurvy.A poultice of the plant has been used to treat swellings.