Natural History Story of the Bermuda Buttercup

I was walking on Bancroft when I saw this plant. Yellow on a gray day, it stuck out to me. I immediately snapped the photo, because it's origins were something I was curious about. Named the "Bermuda Buttercup" is also known as buttercup oxalis. This shamrock like plant is a "a low growing perennial broadleaf plant" (Davis 2014) most commonly found in CA. It is a common weed in artichoke fields in Central CA. The Bermuda Buttercup is also a South African native, cultivated as a ornamental. Interesting to know how it ended up in Berkeley. The common ecology of a plant like this is found mostly in irrigated territories, vineyards, crop fields and urban areas. It is also used commonly as a plant for landscape architectures.

The Bermuda Buttercup is related to Oxalis corniculata (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Oxalis_corniculata_-blossom_top(aka).jpg). This is a significant family, because it is very poisonous to those who intake the two plants too much. "The genus name Oxalis is derived from the Greek word meaning “sour,” referring to the sour-tasting oxalic acid present throughout the plants." (DiTomaso 2007). Oxalate poisoning is common for livestock to receive if there is a high consumption. Death is a common result and many farmers like to kill of the Bermuda Buttercup from their farming ground. Especially in Central CA.

This flower blooms in between November and April. The average height for this plant is 14 inches and rarely goes beyond that. Stems are also located below the ground. With this shamrock like plant, there can only by three sides and on a rare occasion four.

The Bermuda Buttercup grows from bulbs that come about in the fall months. Most of this growing occurs underground. Also, sometimes the three leaflets are spotted with purple dots. White bublets sometimes develop on the stem, and cultivates adjacently to an aboveground plant. The Bermuda Buttercup develops in the late winter and early spring. The plant dies in the summer months.

Sources:
DiTomaso, J. M., and E. A. Healy. 2007. Weeds of California and Other Western States. Oakland: Univ. Calif. Agric. Nat. Res. Publ. 3488.

Holt, J. S. 1987. Factors affecting germination in greenhouse-produced seeds of Oxalis corniculata, a perennial weed. Amer. J. Bot. 74(3):429–436.

Kingsbury, J. M. 1964. Poisonous Plants of the United States and Canada. Newark: Prentice Hall.

Sigg, J. 2003. Oxalis pes-caprae. Cal EPPC News. 11(1):7–8.

Stapleton, J. J., C. A. Wilen, and R. H. Molinar. 2008. Soil Solarization for Gardens and Landscapes. Oakland: Univ. Calif. Agric. Nat. Res. Publ. 74145.

Tu, Mandy. Oxalis pes-caprae L. The Nature Conservancy Global Invasive Species Team. Accessed June 18, 2010.

Whitson, T. D., R. Parker, B. E. Nelson, R. D. Lee, D. W. Cudney, L. C. Burrill, and S. A. Dewey. 2006. Weeds of the West. 9th ed. Darby: Diane Pub Co.

Posted on March 30, 2014 01:54 AM by kerby365