Oh NO!, not more on Oxalis!

Dear fellow Oxaliphobics - 

Just thought I'd like the Californians in on how 'special' we
are here in the Golden State.  The Oxalis pes-caprae that invades
our gardens here is a unique form.  As I mentioned causally in
another post, this robust plant is a pentiploid mutation (the
original species is typically diploid, pentiploid means it has
5 sets of chromosomes instead of just two!).  The odd number is
apparently what makes it sterile (that's why it never sets seed)
and the extra chromasomes makes it such a big thug of a weed!
A friend who visited Crete said she saw an oxalis there and
was surprized to learn it was the same species - but only the
normal diploid form.  She said it was almost cute, and there was
also an attractive double form which was even more lovely.  Even
in the less rampageous form on Crete, it was taking over all the
cultivated fields (no doubt the bulbils being spread by tilling!).

Now don't you all feel 'honored' to have such a unique form of
the Bermuda Buttercup within our boundaries?  ;-)

Also, for those of you who have NOT YET HAD ENOUGH OF Oxalis,
check out Dr. Fred Coe's article in the Summer 1992 issue of
Pacific Horticulture.  He names and describes many species which
might be those you find growing locally, many quite nice, and even
some that are very hard to grow!!

Regards,
Sean O.

Sean A. O'Hara                       sean.ohara@poboxes.com
h o r t u l u s   a p t u s          710 Jean Street
'a garden suited to its purpose'     Oakland, CA 94610-1459, U.S.A.
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