CSIR-NEERI Biodiversity Portal

Creeping Wood Sorrel / Amrul

Oxalis corniculata L.

Botanical name	: Oxalis corniculata L.
Common Name	: Creeping Wood Sorrel
Family	: Oxalidaceae
Synonym	: Acetosella corniculata (L.) Kuntz
About	: Oxalis corniculata a perennial herb with slender primary root is of uncertain origin just because it became so wide spread so long ago has beautiful yellow flowers. Stems are prostrate to sub erect, to about 40 cm long smooth or hairy, branching from the base and often rooted at the nodes. Leaves with 3 leaflets, alternate, sometimes appearing almost whorled on short lateral stems, green or purple. Petiole with spreading flexible hairs, stipulate, lobes 2, usually rounded, broadly obcordate, glabrous or sparsely hairy. A single long stalk arises from the axils of the leaf, from which extend three flower stalks, each with a single flower. The flowers are 7-11 mm wide and have 5 yellow petals, Stamens at 2 levels, filaments glabrous, connate towards base. Styles less than, equal to or a little longer than the stamens, densely hairy. The fruit is a capsule, 1-1.5 cm long, cylindric, pointed apically, and 5-ridged in cross section. Seeds broad-ellipsoid, dark purplish brown, transverse ridges 4-10. It is used in the treatment of influenza, fever, urinary tract infections, enteritis, diarrhea, traumatic injuries, sprains and poisonous snake bites.