Botanical name
Oxalis commutataFamily
OxalidaceaeCommon Name
Sorrel, SuringDescription
Small, stemless (acaulescent), hairless geophyte. Leaves few, short-stalked, leaflets in threes, rounded to heart-shaped, tip notched; leaflets smooth and reddish-purple below, rough and greyish-green above with large epidermal cells. Flowers on long flower stalks, usually pale-rose, may be lilac or white, with yellow tube.
Greek: oxys = sharp, pungent, acid; referring to the oxalic acid content in the leaves, giving the genus its common name Suring.
Habitat
Damp places, mainly streamsides
Flower Date
April to June