Redwood sorrel

Taxobox
name = Redwood Sorrel


image_width = 250px
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Oxalidales
familia = Oxalidaceae
genus = "Oxalis"
species = "O. oregana"
binomial = "Oxalis oregana"
binomial_authority = Nutt.

Redwood sorrel ("Oxalis oregana") is a species of the wood sorrel family, Oxalidaceae, native to moist Douglas-fir and Coast Redwood forests of western North America from southwestern British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California. [ [http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection.php?Genus=Oxalis&Species=oregana Burke Museum] — WTU Herbarium Image Collection] [ [http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=OXOR Plant Profile for "Oxalis oregana"] — USDA Plant Database]

It is a short herbaceous perennial plant with erect flowering stems 5-15 cm tall. The three leaflets are heart-shaped, 1-4.5 cm long 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. [ [http://www-saps.plantsci.cam.ac.uk/records/rec117.htm SAPS] — Science And Plants for Schools]

Redwood sorrel photosynthesises at relatively low levels of ambient light (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. [ [http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Oxalis+oregana E-Flora BC] — Electronic Atlas of the Plants of British Columbia]

The leaves of "Oxalis oregana" were eaten by Native Americans, probably in small quantities, since they contain mildly toxic oxalic acid, whence the genus name. [cite book
last = Pojar
first = Jim
coauthors = Andy MacKinnon
title = Plants Of The Pacific Northwest Coast: Washington, Oregon, British Columbia & Alaska
publisher = Lone Pine Publishing
date = 2004
isbn = 978-1551055305]

References