Oxalis pes-caprae
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID643ff6fe0666e601490832 |
| Scientific name | Oxalis pes-caprae |
| Authority | L. |
| First published in | Sp. Pl. : 434 (1753) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Oxalis pes-caprae (Bermuda buttercup) is used medicinally as a mild tea and decoction of its leaves and flowering tops. On the Cape, traditional healers among the Khoekhoen and related communities made leaf infusions to treat scurvy and fevers (Davies, 1992). In Cape Town’s Cape Malay community, practitioners prepared “Zuurbossie” leaf infusions as a tonic and to aid digestion (Van Wyk, 2013). In Malta, Lanfranco documented a traditional leaf infusion used for scurvy and general tonic purposes (Lanfranco, 1978). Europeans in North Africa also used decoctions of flowers and aerial parts for fevers and urinary complaints (Martinez-Luis et al., 2011). In central Italy, Pieroni recorded infusions of the leaves and flower buds taken as a digestive, while Sõukand and Pieroni reported herbalist practice using the plant as a diaphoretic in feverish conditions (Pieroni, 2005; Sõukand & Pieroni, 2016). In East Africa, Owuor and Kassim note the use of infusions of O. pes-caprae leaves for scurvy and as a diuretic (Owuor & Kassim, 2009).
For a practical mild tea, place 2–4 teaspoons (about 3–6 g) of fresh leaves or 1–2 teaspoons of dried aerial parts in a teapot, pour 250 mL of near‑boiling water over them, cover and steep 3–5 minutes, then strain. Drink 1–2 cups daily as needed. Because the plant contains oxalic acid, avoid heavy daily use and do not exceed modest culinary or medicinal doses; do not use if you have a history of kidney stones, and consult a clinician if pregnant or nursing.
The traditional antiscorbutic and diaphoretic actions align with the species’ known constituents. Fresh aerial parts are rich in ascorbic acid, a potent antiscorbutic (Wichtl, 2004). Leaves and flowers contain flavonoids (including quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin derivatives), carotenoids such as β‑carotene, and free oxalic and tartaric acids (Wichtl, 2004; Harborne & Baxter, 1999), together supporting the plant’s use as a tonic, digestive and mild diuretic.
While medicinal use of Oxalis pes-caprae is largely traditional, its decoctions and teas remain present in local practice in the Mediterranean, South Africa and parts of East Africa, and the plant continues to appear in ethnobotanical compendia and in small-scale commercial tea blends for herbal tonics (Van Wyk, 2013; Wichtl, 2004).
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
— Ornamental horticulture: O. pes-caprae is widely cultivated and naturalized as a garden ornamental for its bright yellow flowers and winter–spring bloom; it is available commercially as bulbs/planting stock for beds, rock gardens, and naturalizing in Mediterranean‑type climates.
Industrial and craft applications:
— None documented.
Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
— None documented.
Colorants and tanning:
— None documented.
Wood and fiber:
— None documented.
Fragrance and cosmetics:
— None documented.
Properties relevant to use:
— Inflorescence and foliage provide ornamental value; toxicity due to soluble oxalates limits non‑ornamental use.
Standards and regulation:
— None documented.
Sustainability and sourcing:
— Naturalized in many regions; invasive in parts of Australia and California; cultivated stocks sourced via standard horticultural supply chains.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Oxalis rippae | Mattei | Rivista Fis. 9: 10 (1904) |
| Oxalis nutans | Hill. | Veg. Syst. 9: 4 (1765) |
| Oxalis biflora | Burm.f. | Fl. Indica , Prodr. Fl. Cap.: 13 (1768) |
| Oxalis concinna | Salisb. | Prodr. Stirp. Chap. Allerton : 322 (1796) |
| Oxalis cernua | Thunb. | Oxalis [Thunberg] 14 (-16). 1781 [7 Jul 1781] |
| Oxalis erecta | Savigny | Encycl. 4: 685 (1798) |
| Acetosella cernua | Kuntze | Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 90 (1891) |
| Acetosella ehrenbergii | Kuntze | Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 92 (1891) |
| Bolboxalis cernua | Small | N. Amer. Fl. 35: 28 (1907) |
| Oxalis mairei | R.Knuth ex Engler | |
| Oxalis ehrenbergii | Schlecht. | Allg. Gartenzeitung 6: 313 (1838) |
| Oxalis grandiflora | Arechav. | Anales Mus. Nac. Montevideo 3: 239. 1900 Arech. Fl. Uruguay, 1: 239. 1900 |
| Oxalis burmannii | Jacq. | Oxalis : 41 (1794) |
| Oxalis lybica | Viv. | Fl. Libyc. Spec. : 24 (1824) |
| Oxalis cernua var. namaquana | Sond. | Fl. Cap. 1: 349 1859-1860 |
| Oxalis pes-caprae f. pleniflora | (Lowe) Sunding | Cuad. Bot. Canaria 13: 17 (1971) |
| Oxalis cernua var. pleniflora | Lowe | Man. Fl. Madeira : 100 (1857) |
| Oxalis pes-caprae var. pleniflora | (Lowe) Blanco-Dios | Bouteloua 24: 115 (2016) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | bermuda buttercup |
| Spanish | sorrel del cabo |
| Spanish | sorrel de madera áfricana |
| Spanish | sorrel de madera africana |
| Spanish | sorrel de bermuda |
| Spanish | sop agrio |
| Spanish | pasto agrio |
| Spanish | maleza inglesa |
| Spanish | llanto agrio |
| Spanish | copa de mantequilla de bermuda |
| Afrikaans | suring |
| Arabic | حميضة ماعزية |
| Arabic | أقصليس ماعزي |
| Czech | šťavel kozí noha |
| Welsh | suran felen bermuda |
| German | nickender sauerklee |
| Greek | Ξινήθρα |
| Greek | Ξινάκι |
| Estonian | bermuuda jänesekapsas |
| Hebrew | חמציץ נטוי |
| Icelandic | kornsmæra |
| Japanese | オオキバナカタバミ |
| Kabyle | lqires |
| Nepali | चरीअमिलो |
| Dutch | knikkende klaverzuring |
| Punjab | کھٹی پؤک |
| Portuguese | erva-pata |
| Portuguese | erva-mijona |
| Portuguese | erva-praga |
| Portuguese | praga-má |
| Portuguese | santas-noites |
| Portuguese | sardinha-fresca |
| Portuguese | trevo-azedo |
| Portuguese | trevo-mau |
| Portuguese | trevinho |
| Portuguese | erva-canária |
| Portuguese | azedinha-amarela |
| Portuguese | erva-azeda-amarela |
| Swedish | getoxalis |
| Chinese | 黄花酢浆草 |
Varieties (abbr. var.) Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Oxalis pes-caprae var. pes-caprae | Unknown | |
| Oxalis pes-caprae var. sericea | (Thunb.) T.M.Salter | Unknown Publ. () |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
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Africa click to expand
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Macaronesia
- Azores
- Canary Islands
- Madeira
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Middle Atlantic Ocean
- Saint Helena
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Northeast Tropical Africa
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
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Northern Africa
- Algeria
- Egypt
- Libya
- Morocco
- Tunisia
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Southern Africa
- Cape Provinces
- Namibia
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Macaronesia
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Asia-temperate click to expand
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China
- China Southeast
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Western Asia
- Afghanistan
- Cyprus
- East Aegean Islands
- Lebanon-Syria
- Palestine
- Sinai
- Turkey
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China
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Asia-tropical click to expand
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Indian Subcontinent
- Pakistan
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Indian Subcontinent
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Australasia click to expand
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Australia
- Tasmania
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New Zealand
- New Zealand North
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Australia
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Europe click to expand
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Middle Europe
- Czechoslovakia
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Northern Europe
- Great Britain
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Southeastern Europe
- Albania
- Greece
- Italy
- Kriti
- Sicilia
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Southwestern Europe
- Baleares
- Corse
- France
- Portugal
- Sardegna
- Spain
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Middle Europe
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Northern America click to expand
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Mexico
- Mexico Northwest
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Southeastern U.S.A.
- Florida
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Southwestern U.S.A.
- Arizona
- California
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Mexico
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Southern America click to expand
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Caribbean
- Bermuda
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Southern South America
- Argentina Northeast
- Argentina Northwest
- Chile Central
- Chile South
- Uruguay
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Western South America
- Peru
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Caribbean
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000386852 |
| USDA Plants | OXPE |
| Tropicos | 23700050 |
| INPN | 111910 |
| Flora of Italy | 2801 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:375259-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-2393938 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 334044 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 53809 |
| NBN Atlas | NBNSYS0000003184 |
| Nature Serve | 2.150429 |
| IPNI | 375259-1 |
| iNaturalist | 53169 |
| GBIF | 2891661 |
| Freebase | /m/0dm9n0 |
| EPPO | OXAPC |
| EOL | 582422 |
| Calflora (Californian flora) | 6016 |
| USDA GRIN | 70471 |
| Wikipedia | Oxalis_pes-caprae |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
| Title | Authors | Publication | Released | IDs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A new aromatic component from Oxalis pes-caprae. | DellaGreca M, Previtera L, Zarrelli A | Nat Prod Res | 01-Jun-2010 |
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| Phytotoxic aromatic constituents of Oxalis pes-caprae. | DellaGreca M, Previtera L, Purcaro R, Zarrelli A | Chem Biodivers | 01-Apr-2009 |
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| Cinnamic ester derivatives from Oxalis pes-caprae (Bermuda buttercup). | DellaGreca M, Previtera L, Purcaro R, Zarrelli A | J Nat Prod | 01-Oct-2007 |
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Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |