Wood Sorrel

Description:

The plant has heart-shaped leaves, folded through the middle, that occur in groups of three atop a reddish brown stalk. It flowers for a few months during the spring, with small white flowers with pink streaks. Red or violet flowers also occur rarely. During the night or when it rains both flowers and leaves contract. Non-showy, cleistogamous flowers are produced during the summer.

Habitat:

Common in most of Europe and parts of Asia.

Notes:

The binomial name is Oxalis acetosella, because of its sour taste. It's useful for edible and medicinal purposes. It is also known as Alleluia, due to the fact that it blossoms between Easter and Pentecost, when the Psalms which end with Hallelujah were sung.