Oxalis caprina Thunb.

Perennial rhizomatous herb, stemless or rarely with very short stem; rhizomes delicate, to 30 cm long, with a few small amplexicaul scales; bulb ovoid, to 15 mm long, ± beaked at apex, outer tunics brown; bulbils absent. Plants almost glabrous or very sparsely pubescent, the hairs simple, eglandular or glandular. Stipules inconspicuous. Leaves basal or apically congested on very short stem, trifoliolate; petiole 2–5 cm long; leaflets subsessile, the petiolules villoso-pubescent, the leaflets broadly obdeltate, 2-lobed (sinus broad or narrow, c. half the length of leaflet), 3–7 mm long, 8–19 mm wide, obtuse, midgreen, sometimes pale purplish on lower surface, the upper surface glabrous, the lower surface sometimes sparsely pilose, margins glabrous, lobe apices to c. 18 mm apart. Inflorescences basal, umbellate; peduncles 2–6-flowered, 9–14 cm long, often twice as long as the leaves or more, sparsely hairy; pedicels 20–50 mm long, glabrous. Bracts situated at base of inflorescence, subulate, callose at the apex. Sepals broadly ovate or oblong-lanceolate, 4–5 mm long, glabrous, green with 2 orange apical calli. Petals cuneate, 13–18 mm long, pale pink, lilac or pale violet, with greenish, yellowish green or creamy-yellow base, glabrous. Stamens at 2 levels, the shorter filaments usually glabrous, the longer minutely glandular-pilose. Ovary pilose in the upper half. Styles hairy. Capsules not developed in Australia.

In Western Australia, Oxalis caprina is a weed of higher rainfall areas of the lower southwest and south coast; found in lawns, old homestead sites, disturbed sites, sometimes invading native vegetation. Hussey et al. (1997) note that the species is found growing in shady habitats among Pteridium esculentum and Eucalyptus diversicolor.