Oxalis flava L.

Perennial herb, stemless or with very short stem; rhizome to 10 cm long, with several brown stem-clasping scales at the top; bulb single, ovoid, 1–4 cm long, outer tunics thin, soft, pale brown; bulbils absent. Plants glabrous except for minute glandular hairs on the filaments and style. Stipules conspicuous, with an obtuse apical lobe. Leaves 4–7-foliolate; petiole 2–6 cm long; leaflets sessile, narrow-elliptic to linear, 10–25 mm long, 2–7 mm wide, often conduplicate and falcate, glabrous. Inflorescences 1-flowered, basal; peduncles 45–80 mm long, shorter or longer than the leaves, glabrous. Bracts situated near the calyx, alternate, linear-subulate, 2.7–3.2 mm long, calli absent. Sepals 4–10 mm long, often unequal in width oblong, obtuse, glabrous or sometimes glandular-ciliate, with several indistinct orange calli near the apex. Petals obovate, 20–30 mm long, yellow, sometimes with purple margins, glabrous. Stamens at 2 levels; filaments minutely glandular-pilose. Ovary glabrous. Styles glandular-pilose in the upper half. Capsules not developed in Australia.

In Western Australia, Oxalis flava is a relatively uncommon species, found occasionally on roadsides and old habitation sites (Hussey et al. 1997). In South Australia it is a weed of roadsides, old habitation sites, riverbanks, paddocks, and other disturbed sites. In New South Wales it has been collected only twice, from paddocks and old habitation sites, but not recollected since 1959.

The stems are used as a vegetable. The root tubers are used as a vegetable.