Oxalis debilis, the large-flowered pink-sorrel
The flowers, leaves and roots are edible. The plant contains oxalic acid, which can cause calcium deficiency if eaten in larger amounts, but typical quantities of the plant would likely not be enough to cause this effect.
Description
It is a
plant. The fruit is a capsule. The seeds are projected, with an elastic integument. In Europe the plants are sterile and are propagating only by bulbs.
The leaves have a zesty lemony flavor.
Research on the naturalizing populations in China show the presence of 2 flower morphs, pollen with low viability and polyploidy.
Varieties and cultivation
There are two varieties:
-
Oxalis debilis var. corymbosa (DC.) Lourteig – large-flowered pink-sorrel (Synonym : O. corymbosa)
-
Oxalis debilis var. debilis
'Aureoreticulata' ('aureo-reticulata') has attractive variegated leaves with flowers that are pinkish purple.
The Royal Horticultural Society advises that it can be a serious weed.
Distribution and habitat
Its original distribution is South America but it has become a cosmopolitan species, occurring in all continents except Antarctica. It can be found in both temperate and tropical areas.
Pests and diseases
Puccinia oxalidis is a fungus species in the genus
Puccinia. This species is a causal agent of rust on plants in the genus
Oxalis.
Uses
The flowers, leaves and roots are edible. There is concern that the plant should only be consumed in small amounts because it contains
oxalic acid, which can cause calcium deficiency if eaten in larger amounts.
Studies show that this is an exaggerated fear.
[ nih.gov "Other components in food: phytic acid and oxalic acid, found naturally in some plants, bind to calcium and can inhibit its absorption. Foods with high levels of oxalic acid include spinach, collard greens, sweet potatoes, rhubarb, and beans. Among the foods high in phytic acid are fiber-containing whole-grain products and wheat bran, beans, seeds, nuts, and soy isolates. The extent to which these compounds affect calcium absorption varies. Research shows, for example, that eating spinach and milk at the same time reduces absorption of the calcium in milk. In contrast, wheat products (with the exception of wheat bran) do not appear to have a negative impact on calcium absorption. For people who eat a variety of foods, these interactions probably have little or no nutritional consequence and, furthermore, are accounted for in the overall calcium DRIs, which take absorption into account."]
See also
-
List of the vascular plants of Britain and Ireland 6
-
List of vascular plants of Norfolk Island
Further reading
-
. W. H. A. von Humboldt et al., Nov. gen. sp. 5:183folio; 5:236quarto. 1822
External links
