Scientific Family
Oxalidaceae
Synonyms
Oxalis grayi, O. jaliscana, Lonoxalis confusa, L. furcata , L. jaliscana , L. occidentalis , L. painteriÂ
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
2 to 10 inches
Riparian
Yes
Creeping, thick, woody rootstocks; stemless, rhizomes and stolons absent; bulbs solitary or clustered, 9 to 15 bulb scales (onion-like layers); 5 to 11 leaflets per leaf, narrow, notched at tip; petals light purple or pink, green base, yellow throats.
Creeping, thick and woody rootstocks; forms bulbs; leaves have 5 to 11 leaflets, leaflets narrowly lance-like to narrow, green, upper may have purplish bands; petals light purple or pink, green at base, rarely white towards tip, green veins.
Habitat
Mixed coniferous and deciduous woodlands or oak forests, canyons, meadows, seeps, streamsides, scrublands, grasslands.
Plant Community
Riparian
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Montane Conifer Forest
Grasslands
Low elevation
5000
High elevation
9500
Flower Characteristics
Umbrella-like clusters on stalks 2 to 14 inches long; sepal tips with 2 orange, linear, thick bumps; 5 petals, green near base, light purple to pink, rarely white towards tip, yellow throats, green veins; styles unequal lengths, 5 longer than the others.
Flower color
Light purple, pink, white
Flower shape
Regular
Tubular
No
First bloom month
July
Last bloom month
September
Flower clusters
Rounded
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Leaves basal, rarely absent at flowering; leaf stalks 3 to 12 inches long; leaflets 5 to 11, narrow to narrowly round, 1/2 to 2-3/4 inches long, notched at tip, green to purplish below, green above; sometimes with purplish bands.
Leaf type
Compound
Leaf color
Green, purplish
Leaf shape
Narrow
Leaf margin
Smooth
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
None
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Fruit capsule a 5-celled chamber, elliptic, 1/8 to 1/2 inch long, smooth.
Fruit type
Capsule