Flower ID: IMG_0675.JPG-06-08-2017 Flower name (scientific): Oxalis stricta Linnaeus PY: 1753. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) oks-AL-iss (or OX-al-is) STRIK-tuh Flower name (common): Yellow Wood Sorrel Family name (common): Wood sorrel Family name (scientific): Oxalidaceae Scientific name origin: Genus: Derived from the Greek oxus, for sour, referrencing the taste of the leaves. Specific epithet: From the Latin for erect, upright. Common name origin: From the common color of the flowers, and having leaves with a sour taste (due to the presence of oxalic acid) and other features of the sorrel plants. Flower description: Size: 0.3 to 0.8 inches (0.8 to 2.0 cm) Petal count: 5 is typical, 6 is very uncommon. Color: Yellow Other: flower arrangement, Cluster-umbel Plant description: Size: Usually 3 to 8" (8 - 20 cm) tall. Stem hairy: Other: Leaf description: attachment is alternate and/or whorl, type is compound Size: Leaflets up to 20 to 30 mm long and about the same wide. Color: Hairy: Other: Shape: leaf, trifoliate (IL), leaflet, obcordate (FNA) Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Very common Bloom time (typical): June to October Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial Habitat: Woods, fields, thickets, streambanks, disturbed areas, roadsides, shade or sun. Fruit: Seed: Importance to wildlife: Similar species (if any): Oxalis dillenii (Common Yellow Wood-sorrel, Yellow Wood Sorrel, Southern Wood Sorrel) is very similar to Oxalis stricta. Examination of mature specimens is very helpful to separate species. The pedicels (stalks) of the fruit for O. dillenii are spreading to slightly bent and the umbellate inflorescence is unbranched, whereas the stalks of O. stricta are erect and the inflorescence is branched at maturity. The seeds of O. dillenii are brown with white ridges, whereas the seeds of O. stricta are all brown. For a key separating O. dillenii and O. stricta see (Nesom, 2009). O. corniculata (Creeping Yellow Wood-sorrel) also has a resemblance to O. stricta. O. corniculata has a creeping habit of growth and one form of this species has purple foliage, whereas O. stricta has a more erect habit of growth and green foliage. Ethnobotany: The whole plant when boiled was used by the Menominee to produce a yellow dye. Smith indicates that the Menominee made no distinction between the three species Oxalis corniculata, Oxalis acetosella, and Oxalis stricta(Smith, p. 78, 1923), though O. corniculata and O. stricta typically have yellow flowers and O. acetosella has white to pale pink flowers with darker pink lines. The Meskwaki used the leaves as a food source, and in former times prepared an orange dye from the whole plant (Smith, p. 271, 1928). Latitude: 44.797937 Longitude: -91.512938 Altitude: 255.90 Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Calumet, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Florence, Fond du Lac, Forest, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Iron, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Price, Racine, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Vilas, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago, Wood) Click here for distribution map In US: (AL, AR, AZ, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY) Click here for distribution map In Canada: (BC, MB, NB, NF, NS, ON, PE, QC, SK) Click here for distribution map References: Synonym(s): Basionym: na Homotypic Synonym(s): Heterotypic Synonym(s): Autonym: na Wetland Status (NC): FACU Wetland Status (MW): FACU