Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Oxalis pes-caprae

Family

Oxalidaceae

Flowering season

February to June, but may be found all-year round.

English distribution

Is found mainly in the Scillies and Cornwall, and is thinly

scattered in a few other parts of the country.

See the BSBI distribution map for Bermuda-buttercup

Habitat

It is a neophyte introduced from South Africa.

It is a persistent, agricultural weed in the bulb fields on

the Isles of Scilly.

Description

Bermuda-buttercup is a perennial herb growing up to 30cm.

The flowers are lemon-yellow and up to 2.5cm. They are

the largest flowers of the yellow sorrels and are borne on

leafless, unbranched stems.

There are 5 petals and up to 10 anthers with orange anthers.

There are 5 styles with minute stigmas.

Leaves have trefoil-like 3 leaflets which fold and may have

brown blotches.

The flowers and leavesf are produced by underground stems,

which are connected to a deep bulb.

Reproduction is by bulbils and stem fragmentation.