Bermuda-buttercup (Oxalis pes-caprae, Sp. Pl.: 434 (1753))

Family: Oxalidaceae

Author: L.

Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 434 (1753)

Year: 1753

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Oxalis

Vegetable: False

Observations: Namibia to Cape Prov.

Description

Bermuda-buttercup, scientifically known as Oxalis pes-caprae, is a member of the Oxalidaceae family. This plant was first documented in the seminal work “Species Plantarum” in 1753 by the renowned botanist Carl Linnaeus, hence the author abbreviation ‘L.’ tagged to its scientific name.

Native to southern Africa, the Bermuda-buttercup thrives from Namibia to the Cape Province, exhibiting remarkable adaptability to various climates and soil types. This perennial herb is easily recognized by its bright yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom predominantly in winter and early spring. The plant’s vegetative part consists of clover-like leaves, each typically comprising three heart-shaped leaflets that fold downwards at night or during inclement weather.

The Bermuda-buttercup has a dense, bulbous root system allowing it to survive drought periods and sustain rapid vegetative reproduction. This adaptability makes it both a resilient garden ornamental and an invasive species in non-native regions. Its proliferation can dominate landscapes, often to the detriment of local flora.

In addition to its ecological resilience, Oxalis pes-caprae is noted for its sour-tasting leaves, which contain oxalic acid. This characteristic tang makes it a popular, albeit moderately consumed, addition to salads and other culinary applications.

As you encounter Bermuda-buttercup in gardens or wild landscapes, it’s essential to appreciate both its aesthetic contribution and the potential ecological impact it may exert beyond its native range. This duality underscores the complex relationship between native species and their introduced counterparts in the global biodiversity tapestry.

Common Names

Ita: acetosella gialla
Eng: african wood-sorrel, african woodsorrel, bermuda buttercup, bermuda-buttercup, englishweed, south african wood-sorrel, buttercup oxalis, drooping wood-sorrel, large yellow soursob, soursob, yellow-flower oxalis, yellow wood sorrel
Dan: afrikansk surkløver
Heb: hamtzitz natuy, חמציץ נטוי
Deu: nickender sauerklee
Fra: oxalide des bermudes, oxalide pied-de chèvre
Mlt: quares, ħaxixa ingliža
Spa: trebolina amarilla, agrio, agrios, aspres, azeda, canario, canarí, caramelles, caramelos, dormilón, fel i vinagre, flor d`avellana, hiel i vinagre, hierba del asno, matacañas, matapán, trebo, trébol, vinagrella, vinagrera, vinagreras, vinagreta, vinagrillo, ásperas
Por: azeda, erva-canária, erva-pata, trevo-azedo
Swe: getoxalis
Ell: oxalida, oxinoudi
Ces: šťavel kozí noha
Cym: suran felen bermuda, suran felen ddigoes
En: Bermuda-buttercup, South African wood-sorrel, Drooping wood-sorrel, Large yellow soursob, Englishweed, Buttercup oxalis, African wood-sorrel, Soursob, Yellow-flower oxalis, African woodsorrel, Bermuda buttercup, Yellow wood sorrel
Ar: عرق الليمون (عِرق الليمون)
Ca: Canari, Flor d’avellana
Cs: Šťavel kozí noha
Da: Afrikansk surkløver
Fr: Oxalide des Bermudes, Oxalide pied-de chèvre, Oxalide pied-de-chèvre, Oxalis des Bermudes, Oxalis pied-de-chèvre
De: Nickender Sauerklee, Ziegenfuß-Sauerklee
El: Oxalida, Oxinoudi
He: Hamtzitz natuy, חמציץ נטוי
It: Acetosella gialla
Mt: Quares, Ħaxixa ingliža
Pt: Azeda, Erva-canária, Erva-pata, Trevo-azedo
Es: Trebolina amarilla, Agrio, Agrios, Aspres, Azeda, Canario, Canarí, Caramelles, Caramelos, Dormilón, Fel i vinagre, Flor d`avellana, Hiel i vinagre, Hierba del asno, Matacañas, Matapán, Trebo, Trébol, Vinagrella, Vinagrera, Vinagreras, Vinagreta, Vinagrillo, Ásperas, Dormilones, Flor del sueño, Trébol de huerta
Sv: Getoxalis
Cy: Suran Felen Bermuda, Suran Felen Ddigoes

Synonyms

• Oxalis sericea var. pilosa (Ball)
• Oxalis cernua f. pleniflora (Cout.)

Distribution

• Cape Provinces (native)
• Namibia (native)
• Afghanistan (introduced)
• Albania (introduced)
• Algeria (introduced)
• Argentina Northeast (introduced)
• Argentina Northwest (introduced)
• Arizona (introduced)
• Azores (introduced)
• Baleares (introduced)
• Bermuda (introduced)
• California (introduced)
• Canary Is. (introduced)
• Chile Central (introduced)
• Chile South (introduced)
• China Southeast (introduced)
• Corse (introduced)
• Cyprus (introduced)
• Czechoslovakia (introduced)
• East Aegean Is. (introduced)
• Egypt (introduced)
• Eritrea (introduced)
• Ethiopia (introduced)
• Florida (introduced)
• France (introduced)
• Great Britain (introduced)
• Greece (introduced)
• Italy (introduced)
• Kriti (introduced)
• Lebanon-Syria (introduced)
• Libya (introduced)
• Madeira (introduced)
• Mexico Northwest (introduced)
• Morocco (introduced)
• New Zealand North (introduced)
• Pakistan (introduced)
• Palestine (introduced)
• Peru (introduced)
• Portugal (introduced)
• Sardegna (introduced)
• Sicilia (introduced)
• Sinai (introduced)
• Spain (introduced)
• St.Helena (introduced)
• Tasmania (introduced)
• Tunisia (introduced)
• Turkey (introduced)
• Uruguay (introduced)

Additional Images

Flower

Taken Feb 1, 2018 by Andranik Vincenzo (cc-by-sa)

Taken Feb 7, 2018 by Dieter Schulten (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 8, 2019 by Alix Millucci (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 2, 2019 by Adamo Davide (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 20, 2018 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Leaf

Taken Jan 11, 2022 by Monteiro Henrique (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 12, 2022 by Monteiro Henrique (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 15, 2019 by Émile Maurice (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 16, 2022 by Maarten Vanhove (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 9, 2018 by Victor Fuentes (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken Jan 23, 2022 by Marzanna Bug (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 27, 2022 by Philipp Nauer (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 18, 2022 by Monteiro Henrique (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 12, 2022 by Monteiro Henrique (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 11, 2022 by Monteiro Henrique (cc-by-sa)

Habit

Taken Dec 3, 2019 by Huszti Jozsef (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 15, 2019 by Émile Maurice (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 23, 2021 by dinkel benjamin (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 9, 2018 by Victor Fuentes (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 20, 2018 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken Dec 28, 2020 by Babis Mantelis (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 3, 2016 by EOL − Zoya Akulova (cc-by-nc)

Taken Feb 23, 2021 by fernandes paula (cc-by-sa)

Taken Feb 14, 2022 by Jose Bueno (cc-by-sa)

Taken Feb 23, 2021 by Villar Alfonso (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Taken Dec 21, 2011 by Tela Botanica − Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 10, 2021 by Mattia Giovanni Vuoso (cc-by-sa)

Taken Feb 16, 2022 by 29386 Pedro Tomás Antunes Rodrigues (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 15, 2021 by benz halim (cc-by-sa)

Taken Feb 28, 2020 by aaaron aaron (cc-by-sa)

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2891661)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:375259-1)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Oxalis pes-caprae L.)

Specifications

Growth habit: Forb/herb

Growth

Ph maximum: 8.0

Ph minimum: 7.5

Light: 7

Atmospheric humidity: 4

Soil nutriments: 7