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Common Name: Oxalis; Yellow Wood Sorrel, Sourgrass; Sleeping Beauty, Sour Trefoil; "Bread and Cheese"
Scientific Name: Oxalis stricta
Family: Oxalidaceae
Mills River, North Carolina
April 14, 2002
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Yellow Wood Sorrel is a delicate herb with heart-shaped, clover-like leaves and bright yellow, five petaled flowers. The plant is no more than 6 inches in height, but it is quite common and not very difficult to find. This plant, also known as Oxalis, is a popular woodland treat. The stalks and leaves may be chewed directly or added to lettuce in a salad. The word Oxalis, however, means sour, and oxalic acid can be poisonous if consumed in large quantities. The leaves are sensitive to cold and will fold on cool nights as a protection against the change in temperature. This results in the plant being known also as Sleeping Beauty. Other names include Sour Trefoil and "Bread and Cheese". What this plant is called is pretty much determined by the area in which you find it. May - October [Alderman, J. Anthony, Wildflowers of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, 1997]
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Alphabetical Listings -- A B C D, E F G H I, J, K L M N, O P Q, R S T U, V W X, Y, Z
Family Listings -- A B C D, E F G H I, J, K L M N, O P Q, R S T U, V W X, Y, Z
Genus Listings -- A B C D, E F G H I, J, K L M N, O P Q, R S T U, V W X, Y, Z