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Oxalis compressa L.f. Supp. (1781) 243 Salter #3
Rather robust, stemless 12-25cm high.
Bulb: oblong-ovoid, attenuate-acute at the apex, 2.5-3cm long : tunics brown, the outer longitudinally ridged
Rhizome: long, succulent.
Leaves: 10-30, basal : petioles 3-8cm long, compressed or narrowly alate, villoso-pubescent, dilated, membranous and 3-nerved below the articulation : leaflets 3, with very short pilose petiolules, broadly cuneate-obovate, glabrous or rarely pubescent above, softly pilose below, ciliate, often purple-zoned, the media 1.1-3.5 cm long, 1.5-3 cm broad, the lateral oblique, rather smaller.
Peduncles: several, 2-6 fld., 10-18 cm long, like the pedicels softly pilose : bracts linear-lanceolate, orange-callose on the upper part : pedicels often 2cm long.
Sepals: lanceolate, 5-7.5 mm long, more or less villoso-pubescent.
Corolla: 1.5-2cm long, yellow, with a rather widely funnel-shaped tube : petals broadly cuneate, rounded at the apex, slightly attenuate towards the base.
Filaments: the shorter 2-4 mm, the longer 3.5-7 mm long, glandular-pilose with broad teeth.
Ovary: pubescent on the upper half, the chambers many ovuled. Capsule elongating beyond the calyx. Seeds endospermous.
Flowers: July-September.
Var. purpurescens Salter. Leaves rather smaller, procumbent : leaflets purplish below and pilose on the midrib only. Peduncles 7-9cm long : petioles 2-3. Sepals 7-9 mm long, often purple-tinged. Petals golden-yellow, sometimes purple- margined below.
Distinguished by its flattened petioles. It is not by any means confined to sandy and wet places as stated by Sonder and it is probably more widely distributed than is supposed, for it is very easily mistaken for the very common O. pes-caprae L. The corolla in var. purpurescens is deeper yellow than in the typical form.