Oxalis corniculata
L.
Oxalidaceae
Acetosella corniculata (L.) Kuntze
Oxalis albicans sericea DC.
Oxalis bradei R. Knuth
Oxalis chinensis Haw. ex G. Don
Oxalis grenadensis Urb.
Oxalis jamaicensis Macfad.
Oxalis langloisii (Small) Fedde
Oxalis lupulina Kunth
Oxalis meridensis Pittier
Oxalis norlindiana R. Knuth
Oxalis pilosa Nutt.
Oxalis pilosiuscula Kunth
Oxalis preissiana Steud.
Oxalis procumbens Steud. ex A. Rich.
Oxalis pubescens Stokes
Oxalis radicosa A. Rich.
Oxalis repens A. St.-Hil.
Oxalis repens Thunb.
Oxalis simulans Baker
Oxalis steudeliana Kunth
Oxalis taiwanensis (Masam.) Masam.
Oxalis thunbergiana Montr.
Oxalis trinidadensis R. Knuth
Oxalis tropaeoloides Schlachter ex Planch.
Oxalis tubistipula Steud. ex Phil.
Oxalis villosa M. Bieb.
Oxys corniculata (L.) Scop.
Oxys lutea Bubani
Oxys lutea Lam.
Oxys lutea Moench
Oxys stricta All.
Xanthoxalis albicans (Kunth) Small
Xanthoxalis corniculata (L.) Small
Xanthoxalis langloisii Small
Xanthoxalis repens (Thunb.) Moldenke
Xanthoxalis trinidadensis (R. Knuth) Holub
Xanthoxalis wrightii (A. Gray) Abrams
Common Name: Yellow Sorrel
General Information
Oxalis corniculata is a annual or short-lived perennial plant growing only 5 - 10cm tall but spreading at the roots to form a mat of growth 30cm or more wide.
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for food, medicine and various other commodities.
Oxalis corniculata has many weedy characteristics, being readily self-pollinated, producing copious seeds in a short time, and being capable of growing rapidly in open places. It is considered a cosmopolitan weed of tropical and temperature zones and it probably occurs in most countries in the world, although it may not yet have been reported from all. It occurs in gardens, lawns, arable land and pastures, and as a weed of glasshouses and plant nurseries[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
1093- Title
- Invasive Species Compendium
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.cabi.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc).
].
Known Hazards
The leaves contain oxalic acid, which gives them their sharp flavour. Perfectly all right in small quantities, the leaves should not be eaten in large amounts since oxalic acid can bind up the body's supply of calcium leading to nutritional deficiency. The quantity of oxalic acid will be reduced if the leaves are cooked. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition[
238- Title
- Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bown. D.
- Publisher
- Dorling Kindersley, London.
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 0-7513-020-31
- Description
- A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
].
Botanical References
17- Title
- Flora of the British Isles.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Clapham, Tutin and Warburg.
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
,
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Range
The plant is widely naturalised around the world as a weed, its original habitat is obscure.
Habitat
Arable land and waste places, it is a common garden weed[
9- Title
- Edible and Medicinal Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Launert. E.
- Publisher
- Hamlyn
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- 0-600-37216-2
- Description
- Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information.
,
17- Title
- Flora of the British Isles.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Clapham, Tutin and Warburg.
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
] where it tends to become especially troublesome in pots of plants growing in greenhouses etc[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Properties
Weed Potential | Yes |
Edibility Rating | |
Medicinal Rating | |
Other Uses Rating | |
Habit | Annual/Perennial |
Height | 0.05 m |
Pollinators | Insects, Self |
Self-fertile | Yes |
Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
A very easily grown plant, succeeding in a sandy soil in a warm dry position[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
]. It prefers dry open habitats[
50- Title
- Flora Europaea
- Publication
-
- Author
- ?
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1964
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for Europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
].
The plant flowers and fruits all year round[
481- Title
- Medicinal Plants in Papua New Guinea
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- World Health Organisation
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
- 978-92-9061-249-0
- Description
- Traditional medicinal uses of 126 species from Papua New Guinea, including information on modern research into the plants.
].
Edible Uses
Leaves - raw or cooked[
2- Title
- Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hedrick. U. P.
- Publisher
- Dover Publications
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
- 0-486-20459-6
- Description
- Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
,
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
61- Title
- A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Usher. G.
- Publisher
- Constable
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
- 0094579202
- Description
- Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
,
105- Title
- Tanaka's Cyclopedia of Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Tanaka. T. & Nakao S.
- Publisher
- Keigaku Publishing; Tokyo
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- The most comprehensive list of edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
]. Added to salads, cooked as a potherb with other milder flavoured greens or used to give a sour flavour to other foods[
183- Title
- Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-0-9
- Description
- Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
]. The leaves are available all year round unless the winter is very cold, they have a pleasantly sour taste[
114- Title
- The Plant Wealth of Iraq.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chakravarty. H. L.
- Publisher
-
- Year
-
- ISBN
-
- Description
- It is surprising how many of these plants can be grown in Britain. A very readable book on the useful plants of Iraq.
], but are very small and fiddly to harvest[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
]. The leaves contain about 86% water, 2.3% protein, 0.8% fat, 8.2% carbohydrate, 150mg calcium, 78mg phosphorus, 8mg iron, 0.6mg niacin, 78mg vitamin C, 6050µg beta carotene[
173- Title
- Native Edible Plants of New Zealand.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Crowe. A.
- Publisher
- Hodder and Stoughton
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-340-508302
- Description
- A very well written and illustrated book based on the authors own experiments with living on a native diet.
]. The leaves contain between 7 - 12% oxalate[
218- Title
- Medicinal Plants of China
- Publication
-
- Author
- Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S.
- Publisher
- Reference Publications, Inc.
- Year
- 1985
- ISBN
- 0-917256-20-4
- Description
- Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
]. Use in moderation, see notes at top of sheet,
Flowers - raw. A nice acid flavour and a pleasant addition to the salad bowl[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Medicinal
The whole plant is anthelmintic, antiphlogistic, astringent, depurative, diuretic, emmenagogue, febrifuge, lithontripic, stomachic and styptic[
147- Title
- A Barefoot Doctors Manual.
- Publication
-
- Author
- ?
- Publisher
- Running Press; Philadelphica.
- Year
- 1977
- ISBN
- 0-914294-92-X
- Description
- A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.
,
178- Title
- Chinese Materia Medica.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Stuart. Rev. G. A.
- Publisher
- Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
- Year
- 1911
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.
,
218- Title
- Medicinal Plants of China
- Publication
-
- Author
- Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S.
- Publisher
- Reference Publications, Inc.
- Year
- 1985
- ISBN
- 0-917256-20-4
- Description
- Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
,
240- Title
- Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement).
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C.
- Publisher
- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi.
- Year
- 1986
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
]. It is used in the treatment of influenza, fever, urinary tract infections, enteritis, diarrhoea, traumatic injuries, sprains and poisonous snake bites[
147- Title
- A Barefoot Doctors Manual.
- Publication
-
- Author
- ?
- Publisher
- Running Press; Philadelphica.
- Year
- 1977
- ISBN
- 0-914294-92-X
- Description
- A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.
]. The plant is a good source of vitamin C and is used as an antiscorbutic in the treatment of scurvy[
240- Title
- Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement).
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C.
- Publisher
- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi.
- Year
- 1986
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
].
The juice of the plant, mixed with butter, is applied to muscular swellings, boils and pimples[
272- Title
- Plants and People of Nepal
- Publication
-
- Author
- Manandhar. N. P.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 0-88192-527-6
- Description
- Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.
]. An infusion can be used as a wash to rid children of hookworms[
257- Title
- Native American Ethnobotany
- Publication
-
- Author
- Moerman. D.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-88192-453-9
- Description
- Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
].
The leaves are used as an antidote to poisoning by the seeds of Datura spp, arsenic and mercury[
218- Title
- Medicinal Plants of China
- Publication
-
- Author
- Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S.
- Publisher
- Reference Publications, Inc.
- Year
- 1985
- ISBN
- 0-917256-20-4
- Description
- Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
].
The leaf juice is applied to insect bites, burns and skin eruptions[
218- Title
- Medicinal Plants of China
- Publication
-
- Author
- Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S.
- Publisher
- Reference Publications, Inc.
- Year
- 1985
- ISBN
- 0-917256-20-4
- Description
- Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
]. It has an antibacterial activity[
218- Title
- Medicinal Plants of China
- Publication
-
- Author
- Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S.
- Publisher
- Reference Publications, Inc.
- Year
- 1985
- ISBN
- 0-917256-20-4
- Description
- Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
].
Other Uses
A slimy substance collects in the mouth when the leaves are chewed, this is used by magicians to protect the mouth when they eat glass[
114- Title
- The Plant Wealth of Iraq.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chakravarty. H. L.
- Publisher
-
- Year
-
- ISBN
-
- Description
- It is surprising how many of these plants can be grown in Britain. A very readable book on the useful plants of Iraq.
].
Yellow, orange and red to brown dyes are obtained from the flowers[
168- Title
- Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Grae. I.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Publishing Co. New York.
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
- 0-02-544950-8
- Description
- A very good and readable book on dyeing.
].
The boiled whole plant yields a yellow dye[
257- Title
- Native American Ethnobotany
- Publication
-
- Author
- Moerman. D.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-88192-453-9
- Description
- Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
].
Propagation
Seed - best sown as soon as ripe in a cold frame. This plant does not need any encouragement.
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