Bermuda Buttercup

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Bermuda Buttercup
• Bermuda-Buttercup
• African wood-sorrel
• Englishweed
• South African wood-sorrel
• buttercup oxalis
• drooping wood-sorrel
• large yellow soursob
• soursob
• yellow-flower oxalis
• Bermuda Sorrel
• Cape Sorrel
• Cape Woodsorrel
• Dogpee
• English-weed
• Goatfoot Sorrel
• Sourgrass
• Soursop

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Oxalidales. Finally, it is a member of the family Oxalidaceae within the genus Oxalis.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution across various regions of Europe. In Northern Europe, it can be found growing in both Great Britain and Ireland. Moving toward Middle Europe, the species is also present in the Czechia-Slovakia region. Its range extends into Southwestern Europe, where it inhabits the Baleares islands. Finally, the plant is recorded in the Mediterranean territory of Corse.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Oxalis pes-caprae is characterized by its ability to thrive across a wide altitudinal gradient, ranging from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum elevation of 500 m AMSL, with a mean elevational presence recorded at approximately 600 m AMSL. This species frequently colonizes disturbed environments and anthropogenic landscapes, specifically establishing itself within crop fields where soil conditions and management practices support its growth.

Elevational range max:

500 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

600 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

crop fields

Life history

The life history of Oxalis pes-caprae is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a geophyte, it relies on specialized underground storage organs to survive unfavorable environmental conditions, a trait that categorizes it functionally as a cryptophyte. The plant exhibits variable deciduousness, meaning its foliage may shed depending on seasonal shifts or localized climatic stressors. Through these biological strategies, the species effectively manages its life cycle by utilizing its subterranean structures to maintain stability and facilitate regrowth.

Deciduousness :

variable

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Oxalis pes-caprae is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and specifically a forb. This terrestrial, independent species does not function as an epiphyte or a parasite, instead maintaining a self-supporting structure rather than acting as a climber, liana, or vine. In terms of stature, the plant exhibits a relatively low profile with a height ranging from a minimum of 0.05 m to a maximum of 0.5 m, resulting in a mean plant height of approximately 0.158 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.5 m

Plant height mean:

0.158333333333333 m

Plant height min:

0.05 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Oxalis pes-caprae is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway and a non-nitrogen-fixing metabolic profile. The plant exhibits a distinct rosette leaf arrangement, which serves to optimize light interception and resource management. The morphology of the foliage shows significant variability, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 0.5 cm to a mean of 2 cm, reaching a maximum of 16.1 cm. Complementing this, the leaf width fluctuates between a minimum of 0.35 cm and a maximum of 4.1 cm, maintaining an average width of approximately 2.4 cm. These physiological and structural parameters support its growth patterns within its ecological niche.

Leaf arrangement :

rosette

Leaf length max:

16.1 cm

Leaf length mean:

2 cm

Leaf length min:

0.5 cm

Leaf width max:

4.1 cm

Leaf width mean:

2.4 cm

Leaf width min:

0.35 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Oxalis pes-caprae involves both sexual and asexual mechanisms, ensuring its ability to colonize diverse environments. Sexually, the plant produces bisexual flowers characterized by a bright yellow color, which are arranged in an umbel inflorescence. These flowers typically range in length from 1.3 cm to 2.6 cm. The pollination process is biotic, primarily driven by insects, and notably, self-fertilization is absent in this species. The flowering period generally begins around March and concludes in April, though it can vary throughout the year. Following successful pollination, the plant develops dehiscent fruit in the form of a capsule. These capsules are relatively small, with lengths ranging between 0.55 cm and 0.8 cm, and they contain a significant number of seeds, typically between 11 and 100 per fruit. Each seed has a mean mass of approximately 2e-04 g. Dispersal is achieved through an unspecialized syndrome as well as myrmecocory (dispersal by ants), which aids in the distribution of the species. Complementing this sexual cycle, asexual reproduction is also present, providing a robust secondary method for propagation.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

unspecialized

Dispersal syndrome :

myrmecochorous

Flower colour :

yellow

Flower length max:

2.6 cm

Flower length min:

1.3 cm

Flowering time :

Mar

Flowering time :

Apr

Fruit length max:

0.8 cm

Fruit length min:

0.55 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Inflorescence :

umbel

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

present

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass mean:

2e-04 g

Seeds_per_fruit :

11-100

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Oxalis pes-caprae has 2 reported plant parts identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include flower, leaf.

Flower

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Leaf

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Chemicals

Oxalis pes-caprae has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, oxalate.

Flavonoids

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

oxalate

1. Archives of toxicology. Supplement. = Archiv fur Toxikologie. Supplement

Activities

Oxalis pes-caprae has 1 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant.

Antioxidant

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Medicinal Uses

Oxalis pes-caprae has 3 reported medicinal uses identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include hyperglycemia, oxidative damage, oxidative stress.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations