White Wood-Sorrel, White oxalis
Oxalis magellanica

Family: Oxalidaceae

What it is like

A herb which keeps growing from year to year. It grows 5-10 cm high and spreads 20-50 cm wide. The rhizomes or underground stems, branch. The plant forms leafy tufts. The leaves have 3 leaflets. The leaflets are 0.4-1 cm long by 0.3-0.8 cm wide. They are green above and waxy underneath. The flowers are 0.8-2 cm across and white. They occur singly on slender stalks. The stalks are about 4 cm long. The fruit are capsules about 0.5 cm across.

There are about 500 Oxalis species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in alpine areas in cool places. It needs moist but well drained sites and light shade. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 2,000 m above sea level. Tasmania Herbarium.

Countries/locations it is found in

Argentina, Australia (country/location of origin), Chile, Falklands, Bolivia, New Zealand, South America (country/location of origin), Tasmania (country/location of origin)

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Flowers, leaves

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed or by division of the clump.

Its other names

Local names

Tutae kahu

Synonyms

Oxalis lactea Hook.;