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Oxalis alpina
Oxalis alpina is a herbaceous perennial plant also known by its common name alpine woodsorrel.[1] It is a species belonging to the genus Oxalis.[2] O. alpina is found in North America and Central America from Guatemala to the southwestern United States.[3] TaxonomyDifferent classifications of Oxalis alpina exist. It is a species in the genus Oxalis,[1] but some also classify it as being part of the Ionoxalis section in the genus Oxalis.[2] Synonyms for Oxalis alpina include Ionoxalis alpina Rose, Ionoxalis metcalfei Small, Ionoxalis monticola Small, Oxalis metcalfei (Small) Knuth., Oxalis bulbosa A. Nelson, and Oxalis monticola Small.[4] The species was first described by Reinhard Gustav Paul Knuth and Joseph Nelson Rose in 1919.[2][5] EtymologyThe name Oxalis comes from the Greek word "oxys," meaning sharp or sour, which is in reference to its oxalic acid content that gives it a sour flavour.[6] The specific epithet alpina means "alpine," reflecting its habitat range.[6] DescriptionOxalis alpina is a perennial herb that grows each year from an underground bulb, and can usually be found from July to September.[7][8] Oxalis alpina is tetraploid.[3] Plants are conspicuous and can have 1-7 flowers which are arranged in an umbel inflorescence.[7][9] Leaves are green and clover-like with three distinct heart-shaped lobes.[10] Oxalis alpina is morphologically similar to Oxalis violacea, but can be differentiated by observing the orange projections at sepal tips: Oxalis alpina has two distinct orange projections, while in Oxalis violacea the projections are fused.[7] Flowers from Oxalis alpina are perfect and exhibit a superior ovary, ten stamens, and one pistil composed of five carpels.[8] Fruits from Oxalis alpina are dehiscent capsules which disperse seeds by exploding at maturation, projecting seeds into the immediate area.[3] Oxalis alpina flowers are heterostylous and exhibit either tristyly or distyly depending on the population.[9] Distylous populations likely evolved from tristylous ancestors, and pollen transfer can still occur between tristylous and distylous O. alpina flowers.[11] RangeOccurrences of Oxalis alpina, have been recorded from Guatemala to the southwestern United States, including the sky island region of southeastern Arizona and northern Mexico.[12][3] It is known to be somewhat rare in the United States, with few populations throughout New Mexico and only found in the eastern 2/3 of Arizona, as well as a few instances in Navajo County.[10] Different populations are known to have varying reproduction systems, with isolated climate conditions occurring since the Pleistocene facilitating these differences even between adjacent mountain ranges within Arizona.[12][13] HabitatOxalis alpina can be found at high altitudes in temperate deciduous, pine-oak, and temperate coniferous forests.[13][7] Populations in Arizona are recorded as being located at elevations of 5500 to 9000 feet.[8]Oxalis alpina usually grows among rocks in moist environments.[14] Interspecies relationshipsOxalis alpina is pollinated by solitary bees (Heterosaurus bakeri and Heterosaurus neomexicanus), dipterans, wasps and lepidoptera.[13] In Mexico and the southern United States the bulbs of Oxalis alpina and other Oxalis species have been found to be a primary food source for Montezuma quail during the winter months.[15] References
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