False shamrock (Oxalis triangularis)
Description
Oxalis triangularis, commonly called false shamrock, is a species of edible perennial plant in the Oxalidaceae family. It is endemic to Brazil. This woodsorrel is typically grown as a houseplant but can be grown outside in USDA climate zones 8a–11, preferably in light shade. The deep maroon leaves are trifoliate, like species in the clover genus Trifolium which are commonly called shamrock, hence the name “false shamrock”. An interesting feature is that the leaves close like an umbrella at night (See the timelapse video below). The white or pale pink five-petalled flowers also close at night. Growing to 50 cm (20 in) tall and broad, the subspecies O. triangularis subsp. papilionacea, the purpleleaf false shamrock, is hardy in mild and coastal areas of Britain, down to −5 °C (23 °F), and has won the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum:
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Class: Magnoliopsida
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Order: Oxalidales
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Family: Oxalidaceae
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Genus: Oxalis
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