Oxalis corniculata, the creeping woodsorrel, procumbent yellow sorrel or sleeping beauty, is a somewhat delicate-appearing, low-growing herbaceous plant in the family Oxalidaceae.

is a small creeping type of woodsorrel that tends to grow well in moist climates. It resembles the common yellow woodsorrel, Oxalis stricta.

Description

It has a narrow, creeping stem that easily takes root at the nodes. Its trifoliate leaves are subdivided into three rounded leaflets, resembling a clover. Some varieties have green leaves, while others, such as Oxalis corniculata var. atropurpurea, have purple leaves. There are inconspicuous stipules at the base of each petiole. The small, yellow flowers have either round-edged or sharp-ended petals. The flowers close when the plant is not within direct sunlight, hence the name "sleeping beauty". Some specimens can have a single flower while others can have over 20.

The fruit is a narrow, cylindrical capsule, long, and noteworthy for its explosive discharge of the contained seeds, long. Pollen is about 34 microns in diameter.

Taxonomy Oxalis corniculata was given its scientific name by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. It is classified in the genus Oxalis and within the family Oxalidaceae. It has no accepted varieties, but has many among its synonyms.

Table of Synonyms Name Year Rank Notes Acetosella corniculata 1891 species ≡ hom. Acetosella corniculata var. subglabra 1891 variety = het. Acetosella corniculata var. villosa 1891 variety = het. Acetosella herpestica 1891 species = het. Acetosella simulans 1891 species = het. Oxalis albicans var. sericea 1824 variety ≡ hom. Oxalis boridiensis 1940 species = het. Oxalis ceratilis 1843 species = het., nom. nud. Oxalis ciliifera 1839 species = het. Oxalis corniculata var. atropurpurea 1857 variety = het. Oxalis corniculata var. ciliifera 1852 variety = het. Oxalis corniculata var. corcovadensis 1930 variety ≡ hom. Oxalis corniculata f. erecta 1912 form = het. Oxalis corniculata var. glabrocapsula 1978 variety = het. Oxalis corniculata var. hispida 1931 variety ≡ hom. Oxalis corniculata var. javanica 1911 variety = het. Oxalis corniculata var. langloisii 1925 variety = het. Oxalis corniculata var. lupulina 1823 variety = het. Oxalis corniculata var. macrophylla 1919 variety = het. Oxalis corniculata var. minima 1816 variety = het. Oxalis corniculata var. minor 1878 variety = het. Oxalis corniculata f. minor 1907 form = het., nom. illeg. Oxalis corniculata var. pilosiuscula 1823 variety = het. Oxalis corniculata var. pubescens 1859 variety = het. Oxalis corniculata f. pubescens 1888 form = het., nom. illeg. Oxalis corniculata subsp. purpurea 1882 subspecies = het. Oxalis corniculata var. purpurea 1873 variety = het. Oxalis corniculata f. purpurea 1901 form = het. Oxalis corniculata var. radicosa 1978 variety = het. Oxalis corniculata subsp. repens 1934 subspecies = het. Oxalis corniculata var. repens 1831 variety = het. Oxalis corniculata var. reptans 1914 variety = het. Oxalis corniculata var. rubra 1910 variety = het., nom. illeg. Oxalis corniculata rubra 1886 = het. Oxalis corniculata var. rubrifolia 1926 variety = het. Oxalis corniculata f. rubrifolia 1954 form = het. Oxalis corniculata f. speciosa 1938 form = het. Oxalis corniculata var. taiwanensis 1938 variety = het. Oxalis corniculata var. trichocaulon 1910 variety = het. Oxalis corniculata var. tropaeoloides 1861 variety = het. Oxalis corniculata f. tropaeoloides 1930 form = het. Oxalis corniculata var. typica 1919 variety ≡ hom., not validly publ. Oxalis corniculata var. villosa 1837 variety = het. Oxalis corniculata var. villosa 1937 variety = het., nom. illeg. Oxalis corniculata f. villosa 1907 form = het. Oxalis corniculata var. viscidula 1925 variety = het. Oxalis foliosa 1930 species = het. Oxalis furcata 1821 species = het. Oxalis glauca 1824 species = het., not validly publ. Oxalis grenadensis 1912 species = het. Oxalis herpestica 1856 species = het. Oxalis humistrata 1841 species = het., not validly publ. Oxalis jamaicensis 1837 species = het. Oxalis javanica 1825 species = het. Oxalis langloisii 1905 species = het. Oxalis lujula 1790 species = het., nom. nud. Oxalis lupulina 1822 species = het. Oxalis lutea 1821 species = het., not validly publ. Oxalis meridensis 1930 species = het. Oxalis micrantha 1877 species = het., not validly publ. Oxalis minima 1821 species = het., not validly publ. Oxalis monadelpha 1834 species = het. Oxalis norlindiana 1927 species = het. Oxalis pilosiuscula 1822 species = het. Oxalis pubescens 1812 species = het. Oxalis pusilla 1794 species = het., nom. illeg. Oxalis radicosa 1848 species ≡ hom. Oxalis recisa 1790 species = het., nom. nud. Oxalis repens 1781 species = het. Oxalis repens var. erecta 1930 variety = het. Oxalis repens f. speciosa 1930 form = het. Oxalis reptans 1786 species = het., nom. nud. Oxalis simulans 1883 species = het. Oxalis steudeliana 1927 species = het. Oxalis taiwanensis 1940 species = het. Oxalis tenuicaulis 1839 species = het. Oxalis thunbergiana 1860 species = het., nom. illeg. Oxalis trinidadensis 1927 species = het. Oxalis tropaeoloides 1858 species = het. Oxalis uittienii 1947 species = het. Oxalis urvillei 1839 species = het. Oxalis villosa 1808 species = het. Oxys corniculata 1771 species ≡ hom. Oxys lutea 1779 species = het. Xanthoxalis corniculata 1903 species ≡ hom. Xanthoxalis corniculata var. atropurpurea 1947 variety = het. Xanthoxalis corniculata f. atropurpurea 1952 form = het. Xanthoxalis corniculata f. erecta 1952 form = het. Xanthoxalis corniculata subsp. purpurea 1952 subspecies = het. Xanthoxalis corniculata f. purpurea 1952 form = het. Xanthoxalis corniculata subsp. repens 1996 subspecies = het. Xanthoxalis corniculata var. repens 1952 variety = het. Xanthoxalis grenadensis 1988 species = het. Xanthoxalis langloisii 1903 species = het. Xanthoxalis repens 1944 species = het. Xanthoxalis trinidadensis 1973 species = het. Notes: ≡ homotypic synonym ; = heterotypic synonym

Distribution This species probably comes from southeastern Asia. It was first described by Linnaeus in 1753 using specimens from Italy, and it seems to have been introduced to Italy from the east before 1500. It is now cosmopolitan in its distribution and is often regarded as a weed in gardens,Hackney, P. 1992. Stewart & Corry's Flora of the North-east of Ireland. Institute of Irish Studies, Queen's University of Belfast. agricultural fields, and lawns.UC Davis IPM

Chloroplast genome The chloroplast genome sequence is 152,189 bp in size, and contains 131 genes. It includes a pair of 25,387 bp inverted repeats that separate a large 83,427 bp single copy region. The genome suggests that this plant is closely related to O. drummondii.

Uses The leaves of this species are edible, and have a tangy taste like lemons. A drink can be made by infusing the leaves in hot water for about 10 minutes, sweetening, and then chilling.Lee Allen Peterson, Edible Wild Plants, Houghton Mifflin Company, New York City (1977), p. 104. The entire plant is rich in vitamin C. Any woodsorrel is safe in low dosages, but if eaten in large quantities over a length of time can inhibit calcium absorption by the body.

Indigenous peoples of Taiwan frequently grow this plant (known roughly as p-r-səʔ) as a cure for snakebites and scabies.

References

External links

Quattrofolium Jepson Manual Treatment Photo gallery