Oxalis incarnata L.

Perennial, almost glabrous herb with thick fleshy contractile root; main bulb c. 2 cm long, subterranean; tunic brown, with scale nerves inconspicuous; secondary aerial bulbs or bulbils small, common in branch axils. Stems spreading to sub-erect, glabrous, with many flexuous, slender branches. Lvs 3-foliolate, glabrous. Petiole 2–7–(12) cm long; stipules forming a narrow to broad wing. Lamina of leaflets subequal, subsessile, 4–16 × 5–22 mm, mostly broadly obcordate, with ± divergent lobes, finely reticulate beneath, with a submarginal irregular row of orange calli; base ± narrow-cuneate, often slightly hairy. Fls solitary; peduncles 2.5–12 cm long, filiform. Bracts c. 1/2 way along pedicel, 2–2.8 mm long, linear-subulate; calli prominent. Sepals 4.5–5.5 mm long, ovate-oblong, often slightly hairy; calli 2, apical, prominent, orange. Petals 1.7–2.2 cm long, pale mauve, sometimes becoming almost white, glabrous; limb broad-obovate. Stamens in 2 whorls; filaments hairy, dilated towards base, < 4 mm long. Styles much > longer whorl of stamens, hairy except near apex. Capsule not seen.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Jan.–Dec.