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Author Topic: Oxalis hirta or... a quandary  (Read 867 times)

Jupiter

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Oxalis hirta or... a quandary
« on: April 04, 2021, 10:55:32 PM »
I hope there are some Oxalis experts lurking here who are able to clear up the niggling doubt I feel about an Oxalis I grow here. It came originally from Sue Wallbank in Tasmania, Australia but she was uncertain of its identity and sold it to me with a question mark. It's close to O. hirta and might be a form of that species, but there are significant differences in form that have got me wondering.

It came to me as a very large bulb, like a Turkish dried fig in shape and size (if you're familiar with those).

The pictures I have attached below show the plant in full bloom and then a couple of comparisons with Oxalis hirta 'rosea' which I have.
Jamus Stonor, in the hills behind Adelaide, South Australia.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jstonor/

Maggi Young

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Re: Oxalis hirta or... a quandary
« Reply #1 on: April 05, 2021, 10:35:08 AM »
Your photo seems to show a very  compact plant - which is not  what I expect  of  O.hirta - perhaps it is leggier than the  photo suggests?

Fermi  is good on Oxalis - and a search of the  forum shows a number of yearly threads  on the genus.  There's also a lovely thread from a forumistin Taiwan about  "my oxalis garden "
 https://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=5707.0     -lots of great species and cultivars shown there which may help or  be  of  interest!
Margaret Young in Aberdeen, North East Scotland Zone 7 -ish!

Editor: International Rock Gardener e-magazine

fermi de Sousa

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Re: Oxalis hirta or... a quandary
« Reply #2 on: April 05, 2021, 11:38:49 AM »
Hi Jamus,
from what I can see of the foliage it looks correct for O. hirta. It appears to just be a very compact form. I've sent a message t Craig Gardiner to ask him as he's the new Oxalis Oracle
cheers
fermi
Mr Fermi de Sousa, Redesdale,
Victoria, Australia

Jupiter

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Re: Oxalis hirta or... a quandary
« Reply #3 on: April 05, 2021, 10:42:15 PM »
Maggi and Fermi, thanks for your input. The foliage does look very like hirta but I noticed while researching that other species have that kind of leaf shape too. Yes it's a very compact form and when in full bloom the flowers completely conceal the leaves below. It's a lovely thing!
Jamus Stonor, in the hills behind Adelaide, South Australia.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jstonor/

 


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