Oxalis oregana explained

Oxalis oregana, known as redwood sorrel or Oregon oxalis, is a species of the wood sorrel family, Oxalidaceae, in the genus Oxalis native to moist Douglas-fir and coast redwood forests of western North America from southwestern British Columbia to Washington, Oregon, and California.[1] [2]

Description

Oxalis oregana is a short, herbaceous perennial with erect flowering stems 5–15 cm tall. The three leaflets are heart-shaped, 1–4.5 cm long with purplish undersides, on 5–20 cm stalks. The inflorescence is 2.4–4 cm in diameter, white to pink with five petals and sepals. The hairy five-chambered seed capsules are egg-shaped, 7–9 mm long; seeds are almond-shaped.[3] It spreads by a scaly rhizome varying the size of patches. They can be seen throughout moist forest under-canopies.[4]

Rapid light response

Oxalis oregana photosynthesizes at relatively low levels of ambient sunlight (1/200th of full sunlight). When direct sunlight strikes the leaves they fold downwards; when shade returns, the leaves reopen. Taking only a few minutes, this movement is observable to the eye.[5] [6]

As food

The leaves of Oxalis oregana are eaten by the Cowlitz, Quileute and Quinault peoples. Like spinach, they contain mildly toxic oxalic acid, which is named after the genus.[7] They are safe to eat in small amounts for those with no oxalate-related conditions.[8]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: WTU Herbarium Image Collection. Burke Museum. 2016-05-02.
  2. Web site: Plants Profile for Oxalis oregana (redwood-sorrel). plants.usda.gov. 2016-05-02.
  3. Web site: Nyctinasty and Mimosa leaf movement. Science and Plants for Schools. 2016-05-02.
  4. Web site: Burke Herbarium Image Collection. 2021-05-01. biology.burke.washington.edu.
  5. Web site: Oxalis oregana. Electronic Atlas of the Plants of British Columbia. 2016-05-02.
  6. Web site: 12.1.1 Light interception and utilisation. Plants in Action. 2016-05-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20160319153322/http://plantsinaction.science.uq.edu.au/edition1/?q=content%2F12-1-1-light-interception-and-utilisation. 2016-03-19. dead.
  7. Book: Pojar, Jim . Andy MacKinnon . Plants Of The Pacific Northwest Coast: Washington, Oregon, British Columbia & Alaska . Lone Pine Publishing . 2004 . 978-1-55105-530-5.
  8. Book: Benoliel, Doug. Northwest Foraging: The Classic Guide to Edible Plants of the Pacific Northwest. Skipstone. 2011. 978-1-59485-366-1. Rev. and updated. Seattle, WA. 175. 668195076.