Pink Wood Sorrel, Windowbox Wood Sorrel

Oxalis articulata

Now a synonym...

Oxalis articulata subsp. rubra

oks-AL-iss ar-tik-yoo-LAH-tuh ROO-bruh

Synonyms of Oxalis articulata (35) (Updated on 12-21-23 from Plants of the World Online): Acetosella articulata (Savigny) Kuntze (1891), Acetosella platensis (A.St.-Hil. & Naudin) Kuntze (1891), Acetosella rubra (A.St.-Hil.) Kuntze (1891), Oxalis arechavaletae Herter (1943), Oxalis articulata f. crassipes (Urb.) Lourteig (1982), Oxalis articulata subsp. floribunda (Lehm.) B.Bock (2012)(with incorrect basionym ref.), Oxalis articulata f. guttata (Arechav.) Osten ex R.Knuth (1930), Oxalis articulata f. halophila (Arechav.) Osten ex R.Knuth (1930), Oxalis articulata var. hirsuta Progel (1877), Oxalis articulata subsp. nodulosa Beauverd & Felipp. (1921 publ. 1922), Oxalis articulata subsp. rubra (A.St.-Hil.) Lourteig (1982), Oxalis articulata subsp. sericea Progel (1877), Oxalis articulata var. sericea Progel (1877), Oxalis canterae Arechav. (1900), Oxalis chilensis Pers. (1805), Oxalis crassipes Urb. (1884), Oxalis dumicola Arechav. (1900), Oxalis floribunda Lehm. (1826), Oxalis floribunda var. alba Vilm. (1906), Oxalis glandulosa Larrañaga (1923)(nom. illeg.), Oxalis guttata Arechav. (1900), Oxalis halophila Arechav. (1900), Oxalis lasiandra Graham (1841)(nom. illeg.), Oxalis lasiopetala var. pubescens Progel (1877), Oxalis lasiophylla A.St.-Hil. & Naudin (1842), Oxalis martii G.Lodd. (1830)(nom. nud.), Oxalis monticola var. sericea R.Knuth (1930), Oxalis platensis A.St.-Hil. & Naudin (1842), Oxalis praecox Lehm. (1826), Oxalis pseudostipulata Arechav. (1900), Oxalis racemosa Savigny (1798), Oxalis rivalis Arechav. (1900), Oxalis rubra A.St.-Hil. (1825), Oxalis sericea Arechav. (1900)(nom. illeg.), Oxalis tubistipula Steud. ex F.Phil. (1881)

Oxalis articulata Savigny is the accepted scientific name for the species. It was named and described by Marie Jules César Lélorgne de Savigny and “in author” Jean Baptiste Antoine Pierre de Monnet de Lamarck in Encyclopédie Méthodique, Botanique in 1798.

Now listed as a synonym, Oxalis articulata subsp. rubra (A.St.-Hil.) Lourteig was named and described as such by Alicia Lourteig in Phytologia in 1982. It was first named and described as Oxalis rubra A.St.-Hil. by Auguste François César Prouvençal de Saint-Hilaire in Flora Brasiliae Meridionalis in 1825.

The genus, Oxalis L., was described as such by Carl von Linnaeus in the first volume of the first edition of Species Plantarum in 1753.

As of 12-21-23 when this page was last updated, Plants of the World Online lists 566 species of Oxalis. It is a member of the plant family Oxalidaceae with 5 genera. Those numbers could change as updates are made on POWO.

The distribution map above for Oxalis articulata is from Plants of the World Online. Areas in green are where the species is native and purple where it has been introduced. The map on the USDA Plants Database for the United States is similar but doesn’t include Oregon. The map on the USDA Database is for Oxalis rubra which, according to POWO (and other sites), is a synonym of Oxalis articulata. For some reason, the USDA Plants Database says Oxalis articulata is excluded…

The map on iNaturalist shows where members have made observations. Anyone can join and it is a great website to confirm and share your observations. The maps on iNaturalist are continually updated as members post new observations.

THERE ARE SEVERAL LINKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE FOR FURTHER READING AND TO HELP WITH A BETTER POSITIVE ID.

When I was living at the mansion in Leland, Mississippi I noticed this Oxalis species growing in the side yard next to the east sunroom. I knew right off it was unmistakably an Oxalis species, but which one?

My original image search for this species left me somewhat frustrated because most of the flowers looked nothing like mine. Most photos of Oxalis were solid shades of pink or pink with white throats and only a few with darker throats. Most all of them said they were from Oxalis violacea. Information also suggests this species, as well as many others, are variable and come in various shades of pink and sometimes even white. Even so, the choices were limited.

After some lengthy research off and on, I came to the conclusion these plants were Oxalis articulata subsp. rubra. The subspecies have dark throats which is no doubt why it was originally named Oxalis rubra in 1825. It was included as a subspecies of Oxalis articulata in 1982, but now even that name is a synonym of Oxalis articulata. I will leave it as Oxalis articulata (subsp. rubra)… Well, this is my site and that is allowed. 🙂 You never know, the name may change back again…

USEFUL INFORMATION:
Family: Oxalidaceae.
Origin: Mo. Bot. Garden says Paraguay, Bolivia, and Argentina.
Zones: USDA Zones 7-10.
Dave’s Garden says 6a-9b (-10 to 25° F).
Size: 8” up to 12” maybe.
Light: Sun to part shade.
Soil: Well-drained, slightly moist.
Water: Average water needs during the growing period.

This plant came up in several spots next to the east sunroom in part shade from 2009 through 2012. I moved from the mansion in February 2013 and the new owners renovated the mansion and opened a new bed and breakfast (The Thompson House Bed and Breakfast). They added a patio where these plants were growing…

I hope you enjoyed this page and maybe found it useful. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, I would like to hear from you. Please click on “like” if you visited this page. It helps us bloggers stay motivated. 🙂 You can check out the links below for further reading. The links take you directly to the genus and species of this plant.

FOR FURTHER READING:
PLANTS OF THE WORLD ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
INTERNATIONAL PLANT NAMES INDEX (GENUS/SPECIES)
TROPICOS (GENUS/SPECIES)
WORLD FLORA ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
WIKIPEDIA (GENUS/SPECIES)
USDA PLANTS DATABASE
USDA PLANT GUIDE
DAVE’S GARDEN
MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN
ALABAMA PLANTS
iNATURALIST
WILDFLOWER SEARCH
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
CANDIDE
PACIFIC BULB SOCIETY
PFAF(PLANTS FOR A FUTURE)
EAT THE WEEDS
USEFUL TROPICAL PLANTS
WILD FOOD UK
FLORA OF NORTH AMERICA
ALABAMA PLANT ATLAS

NOTE: The data (figures, maps, accepted names, etc.) may not match on these websites. It depends on when and how they make updates and when their sources make updates. Some websites have hundreds and thousands of species to keep up with. Accepted scientific names change periodically and can be hard to keep with. Some of the links may use a name that is a synonym on other sites. In my opinion, Plants of the World Online by Kew is one of the most reliable and up-to-date plant databases and they make updates regularly. I make updates “at least” once a year and when I write new pages or add new photos but I do get behind. We are all a work in progress. 🙂