Japanese name: イモカタバミ（芋片喰） Scientific name:Oxalis articulata
[Overview]
A perennial 8–30 cm tall, found in vacant lots and by roadsides.
There is a spherical tuber about 3 cm across underground.
Small tubers form around the tuber.
The leaves grow in tufts from the tuber and consist of 3 leaflets.
The leaflets are obcordate, 1.5–4 cm long and wide, with a notched tip, making them heart-shaped.
The underside of the leaves has pale yellowish brown spots.
The leaves have petioles 8–30 cm long.
An umbel rises above the leaves and bears 10–20 flowers.
The flowers are about 1.5 cm across, 5-petaled, reddish purple with darker streaks.
The flower color varies widely.
[History]
It was introduced as an ornamental, and its naturalization was reported in 1967.
