On average a total of 20 bulbils are produced. One to several small bulbils form in the axil of each rhizome bract. The rhizome has many fibrous true roots near its base. The rhizome is vertical, white, fleshy, 50-100 mm long by 2-10 mm diameter at the top and tapers to a thread like root joined to parent bulb.

Within the exhausted parent bulb the new season bulb forms on top of a long, fleshy, vertical contractile tuber or 'root'.

Below the rhizome a thread like root connects it to the parent bulb. Just below the ground is a carrot like, vertical rhizome that produces leaves from the top and bulbils on its sides. Roots:Soursob has a complex underground structure. Known from some sites in WA but not elsewhere in Australia. Seeds expelled explosively up to 2000 mm through longitudinal slits leaving the valves attached to the plant. Oblong capsule tapering to a fine tip that rarely matures to form viable seed. Filaments with teeth and glandular hairs.Īnthers - Release pollen by a longitudinal slit. Outer ones shorter, 3-4.5 mm long and opposite the petals, others 5-7 mm long. Petals - Yellow, trumpet shaped with 5 spreading lobes, 10-35 mm long by 40 mm wide. Sepals - Narrowly egg shaped, 5-8 mm long, hairy with 2 orange calli at the tip. Pedicels may have glandular hairs.įlowers: Yellow, stalked, drooping, trumpet shaped with 5 petals that open in sunlight, follow the sun and close as light fades.īracts - parallel sided, 2-3 mm long with orange calli near the tips. When plants are growing in shade or are crowded it may be above ground.įlower stem - Up to 350 mm tall, often drooping.įlower head:Flowers on 10-20 mm long, leafless, stalks (pedicels), in clusters (umbels) of 3-16(25) on the end of erect, 150-350 mm long, succulent stalks (peduncles), emerging from the centre of the plant, with a few fine hairs. Stems:Underground rhizome which occasionally may be above ground in dense, shady infestations. Leaves fold up and droop at night and in dull situations. Few hairs on edges and underside, hairless on topside. Leaflets have a very short or no petiolule.īlade - Of leaflet, heart shaped, 8-25 mm long by 9-35 mm wide, deeply 2 lobed, green and often with dark purple or brown spots on top, lighter green underneath. Petiole - 60-150 mm long, round, broadened and jointed near the base where it attaches to the tuber. Leaves:Forms a rosette of 10-40 leaves, each with 3 leaflets that are 10-45 mm diameter overall. It has annual tops with a perennial root system with a vertical rhizome, bulbils and a bulb.įirst leaves:Trifoliate, similar to older leaves. The radiating clusters of drooping yellow, 5 petalled flowers are in clusters of 3-16 flowers on long slender stalks held well above the leaves from June to November. Summary:An almost hairless plant with long-stalked, trifoliate leaves that often have dark spots. Soursob refers to its sour taste and may be derived from soursop, a North American fruit with an acid taste. Pes-caprae is from the Latin pes meaning foot and caprae meaning goat and refers to the goat foot shape of the folding and deeply lobed leaflets. Oxalis is from the Greek oksos meaning sour and refers to the taste of the leaves and stems.

Bermuda buttercup nursery