PLANTS: In AZ perennial herbs with bulbs or creeping stems, caulescent or acaulescent.

LEAVES: petiolate, palmately compound, with 3 or more obcordate leaflets.

FLOWERS: perfect, the petals clawed, connate at base; stamens 10; pistil5-carpelled; styles 5.

FRUITS: fleshy explosive capsules.

SEEDS: arillate.

NOTES: ca. 500 spp., mostly oftemperate regions and especially concentrated in s S. Amer. and s Afr. Many species are of considerable ornamental value, although several of these have become invasive weeds in many regions. (Greek: oxus = sour). Collections must include underground parts to facilitate identifications and labels should note fresh corolla color. Eiten, G. 1963. Amer. MidI. Naturalist 69:257-307; Lourteig, A. 1975. Phytologia 42:57-197; Denton, M. 1973. Pub. Museum Michigan State Univ., BioI. Series 4:459-615.

REFERENCES: Denton, Melinda. 1998 Oxalidaceae. J. Ariz. - Nev. Acad. Sci. 30(2): 115.