Oxalis corniculata

Oxalis corniculata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Oxalidales
Family:	Oxalidaceae
Genus:	Oxalis
Species:	O. corniculata
Binomial name
Oxalis corniculata L.
Synonyms [1]
Acetosella corniculata Oxalis corniculata var. typica Oxys corniculata Xanthoxalis corniculata

Purple leaved variety.

Oxalis corniculata, the creeping woodsorrel, procumbent yellow sorrel ^[2] or sleeping beauty, is a somewhat delicate-appearing, low-growing herbaceous plant in the family Oxalidaceae.

Oxalis corniculata is a small creeping type of woodsorrel that tends to grow well in moist climates. ^[3] It resembles the common yellow woodsorrel, Oxalis stricta .

Description

Stems with leaf stalk and side leaf (inconspicuous stipules at the base of each petiole are visible too)

Trifoliate leaf of Oxalis corniculata

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.

Fruits of Oxalis corniculata

Pollen of Oxalis corniculata

Matured seed of Oxalis corniculata

Mature (brown) and immature (white) seeds of Oxalis corniculata

Oxalis corniculata plant on moist soil

The fruit is a narrow, cylindrical capsule, 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) long, and noteworthy for its explosive discharge of the contained seeds, 1 mm (0.04 in) long. ^[4] 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 96 synonyms. ^[1]

Table of Synonyms

Name	Year	Rank	Notes
Acetosella corniculata(L.) Kuntze	1891	species	≡ hom.
Acetosella corniculata var. subglabraKuntze	1891	variety	= het.
Acetosella corniculata var. villosa(M.Bieb.) Kuntze	1891	variety	= het.
Acetosella herpestica(Schltdl.) Kuntze	1891	species	= het.
Acetosella simulans(Baker) Kuntze	1891	species	= het.
Oxalis albicans var. sericeaDC.	1824	variety	≡ hom.
Oxalis boridiensisR.Knuth	1940	species	= het.
Oxalis ceratilisE.Mey.	1843	species	= het., nom. nud.
Oxalis ciliiferaA.Cunn.	1839	species	= het.
Oxalis corniculata var. atropurpureaPlanch.	1857	variety	= het.
Oxalis corniculata var. ciliifera(A.Cunn.) Hook.f.	1852	variety	= het.
Oxalis corniculata var. corcovadensisR.Knuth	1930	variety	≡ hom.
Oxalis corniculata f. erectaMakino	1912	form	= het.
Oxalis corniculata var. glabrocapsulaRoti Mich.	1978	variety	= het.
Oxalis corniculata var. hispidaBlatt.	1931	variety	≡ hom.
Oxalis corniculata var. javanica(Blume) Backer	1911	variety	= het.
Oxalis corniculata var. langloisii(Small) Wiegand	1925	variety	= het.
Oxalis corniculata var. lupulina(Kunth) Zucc.	1823	variety	= het.
Oxalis corniculata var. macrophyllaArsène ex R.Knuth	1919	variety	= het.
Oxalis corniculata var. minimaPoir.	1816	variety	= het.
Oxalis corniculata var. minorLange	1878	variety	= het.
Oxalis corniculata f. minorLange ex Fiori	1907	form	= het., nom. illeg.
Oxalis corniculata var. pilosiuscula(Kunth) Zucc.	1823	variety	= het.
Oxalis corniculata var. pubescensGriseb.	1859	variety	= het.
Oxalis corniculata f. pubescensBatt.	1888	form	= het., nom. illeg.
Oxalis corniculata subsp. purpurea(Parl.) Arcang.	1882	subspecies	= het.
Oxalis corniculata var. purpureaParl.	1873	variety	= het.
Oxalis corniculata f. purpurea(Parl.) Fiori	1901	form	= het.
Oxalis corniculata var. radicosa(A.Rich.) Roti Mich.	1978	variety	= het.
Oxalis corniculata subsp. repens(Thunb.) Masam.	1934	subspecies	= het.
Oxalis corniculata var. repens(Thunb.) Zucc.	1831	variety	= het.
Oxalis corniculata var. reptansLaing	1914	variety	= het.
Oxalis corniculata var. rubraMakino	1910	variety	= het., nom. illeg.
Oxalis corniculata rubraG.Nicholson	1886		= het.
Oxalis corniculata var. rubrifoliaMakino	1926	variety	= het.
Oxalis corniculata f. rubrifolia(Makino) H.Hara	1954	form	= het.
Oxalis corniculata f. speciosa(Masam.) Masam.	1938	form	= het.
Oxalis corniculata var. taiwanensisMasam.	1938	variety	= het.
Oxalis corniculata var. trichocaulonH.Lév.	1910	variety	= het.
Oxalis corniculata var. tropaeoloides(E.Fürst) H.Hirzel	1861	variety	= het.
Oxalis corniculata f. tropaeoloides(E.Fürst) R.Knuth	1930	form	= het.
Oxalis corniculata var. typicaR.Knuth	1919	variety	≡ hom., not validly publ.
Oxalis corniculata var. villosa(M.Bieb.) Hohen.	1837	variety	= het.
Oxalis corniculata var. villosaP.Fourn.	1937	variety	= het., nom. illeg.
Oxalis corniculata f. villosa(M.Bieb.) Fiori	1907	form	= het.
Oxalis corniculata var. viscidulaWiegand	1925	variety	= het.
Oxalis foliosaBlatt.	1930	species	= het.
Oxalis furcataElliott	1821	species	= het.
Oxalis glaucaRaf. ex DC.	1824	species	= het., not validly publ.
Oxalis grenadensisUrb.	1912	species	= het.
Oxalis herpesticaSchltdl.	1856	species	= het.
Oxalis humistrataWilld. ex Steud.	1841	species	= het., not validly publ.
Oxalis jamaicensisMacfad.	1837	species	= het.
Oxalis javanicaBlume	1825	species	= het.
Oxalis langloisii(Small) Fedde	1905	species	= het.
Oxalis lujulaNoronha	1790	species	= het., nom. nud.
Oxalis lupulinaKunth	1822	species	= het.
Oxalis luteaSteud.	1821	species	= het., not validly publ.
Oxalis meridensisPittier	1930	species	= het.
Oxalis micranthaBojer ex Progel	1877	species	= het., not validly publ.
Oxalis minimaSteud.	1821	species	= het., not validly publ.
Oxalis monadelphaRoxb. ex Wight & Arn.	1834	species	= het.
Oxalis norlindianaR.Knuth	1927	species	= het.
Oxalis pilosiusculaKunth	1822	species	= het.
Oxalis pubescensStokes	1812	species	= het.
Oxalis pusillaSalisb.	1794	species	= het., nom. illeg.
Oxalis radicosaA.Rich.	1848	species	≡ hom.
Oxalis recisaNoronha	1790	species	= het., nom. nud.
Oxalis repensThunb.	1781	species	= het.
Oxalis repens var. erecta(Makino) Masam.	1930	variety	= het.
Oxalis repens f. speciosaMasam.	1930	form	= het.
Oxalis reptansSol. ex G.Forst.	1786	species	= het., nom. nud.
Oxalis simulansBaker	1883	species	= het.
Oxalis steudelianaR.Knuth	1927	species	= het.
Oxalis taiwanensis(Masam.) Masam.	1940	species	= het.
Oxalis tenuicaulisA.Cunn.	1839	species	= het.
Oxalis thunbergianaMontrouz.	1860	species	= het., nom. illeg.
Oxalis trinidadensisR.Knuth	1927	species	= het.
Oxalis tropaeoloidesE.Fürst	1858	species	= het.
Oxalis uittieniiJ.T.Jansen	1947	species	= het.
Oxalis urvilleiA.Cunn.	1839	species	= het.
Oxalis villosaM.Bieb.	1808	species	= het.
Oxys corniculata(L.) Scop.	1771	species	≡ hom.
Oxys luteaLam.	1779	species	= het.
Xanthoxalis corniculata(L.) Small	1903	species	≡ hom.
Xanthoxalis corniculata var. atropurpurea(Planch.) Moldenke	1947	variety	= het.
Xanthoxalis corniculata f. atropurpurea(Planch.) Nakai	1952	form	= het.
Xanthoxalis corniculata f. erecta(Makino) Nakai	1952	form	= het.
Xanthoxalis corniculata subsp. purpurea(Parl.) Nakai	1952	subspecies	= het.
Xanthoxalis corniculata f. purpurea(Parl.) Nakai	1952	form	= het.
Xanthoxalis corniculata subsp. repens(Thunb.) Tzvelev	1996	subspecies	= het.
Xanthoxalis corniculata var. repens(Thunb.) Nakai	1952	variety	= het.
Xanthoxalis grenadensis(Urb.) Tzvelev ex Prob. & Sokolovsk.	1988	species	= het.
Xanthoxalis langloisiiSmall	1903	species	= het.
Xanthoxalis repens(Thunb.) Moldenke	1944	species	= het.
Xanthoxalis trinidadensis(R.Knuth) Holub	1973	species	= het.
Notes: ≡ homotypic synonym  ; = heterotypic synonym

Distribution

This species probably comes from southeastern Asia. ^[5] It was first described by Linnaeus in 1753 ^[6] using specimens from Italy, and it seems to have been introduced to Italy from the east before 1500. ^[5] It is now cosmopolitan in its distribution and is often regarded as a weed in gardens, ^[7] agricultural fields, and lawns. ^[8]

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 . ^[3]

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. ^[9] 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. ^[9]

Indigenous peoples of Taiwan frequently grow this plant (known roughly as p-r-səʔ) as a cure for snakebites and scabies. ^[10]

References

1. "Oxalis corniculata L." Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 13 December 2025.
2. BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
3. Lubna; Asaf, Sajjad; Jan, Rahmatullah; Khan, Abdul Latif; Lee, In-Jung (2020-07-23). "Complete Chloroplast Genome Characterization of Oxalis Corniculata and Its Comparison with Related Species from Family Oxalidaceae". Plants. 9 (8): 928. Bibcode:2020Plnts...9..928L. doi: 10.3390/plants9080928 . ISSN   2223-7747. PMC   7464629 . PMID   32717796.
4. Shanpeng Li, Yun Zhang, Jianlin Liu (1 June 2020). "Seed ejection mechanism in an Oxalis species". Scientific Reports. 10 (1). Nature: 8855. Bibcode:2020NatSR..10.8855L. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-65885-2. PMC   7264325 . PMID   32483323.
5. Groom, Quentin; Van der Straeten, Jan; Hoste, Ivan (2019-02-13). "The origin of Oxalis corniculata L." PeerJ. 7 e6384. doi: 10.7717/peerj.6384 . ISSN   2167-8359. PMC   6377598 . PMID   30783568.
6. von Linné, Carl (1753). Species plantarum. Vol. 1.{{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
7. Hackney, P. 1992. Stewart & Corry's Flora of the North-east of Ireland. Institute of Irish Studies, Queen's University of Belfast.
8. UC Davis IPM
9. Lee Allen Peterson, Edible Wild Plants, Houghton Mifflin Company, New York City (1977), p. 104.
10. Li, Paul Jen-kuei (July 2022). "Some notes on animals and plants for Proto-Austronesian speakers". Language and Linguistics. 語言暨語言學: 259. doi: 10.1075/lali.18.2.04li .

External links

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