Oxalidaceae
[äk‚sal·ə′dās·ē‚ē] (botany)
A family of dicotyledonous plants in the order Geraniales, generally characterized by regular flowers, two or three times as many stamens as sepals or petals, a style which is not gynobasic, and the fruit which is a beakless, loculicidal capsule.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
oxalis
oxalis
Lemony fun citrus-like tangy flavor, can be used as seasoning for fish etc. Superficially resembles clover (3 heart-shaped leaves joined at tip) 5 petal flowers can be white, pink, red or yellow. The edible root tubers look like small red and white fingerling potatoes. Tastes great and lots of people eat it, but don't eat large amounts at once because of high levels of oxalic acid which binds calcium and is hard on the kidneys. It forms calcium oxalate which is insoluble.
Edible Plant Guide © 2012 Markus Rothkranz