Blue wood-sorrel Blue wood-sorrel

Ionoxalis caerulea Small in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 25: 33. 1907

Herbs perennial, acaulous, rhizomes and stolons absent, bulb solitary; bulb scales (3–)5–7-nerved. Leaves basal; petiole 3–10(–13) cm; leaflets (3–)4(–5), green to purplish abaxially, green adaxially, obtriangular to obcordate, 5–22 mm, lobed 1/5–1/2 length, <lobes apically rounded>, surfaces glabrous, oxalate deposits absent or as few punctate tubercles near lobe apices. Inflorescences umbelliform cymes, (1–)2–7-flowered; scapes 6–12(–15) cm, glabrous. Flowers distylous; sepal apices with 2 orange, <linear> tubercles; petals red to pinkish lavender, 8–10 mm. Capsules ellipsoid, 3.5–6 mm, glabrous.

Flowering Jun–Sep. Streambeds, stream banks, meadows, pinyon-juniper, pine-oak-juniper, or pine-aspen woodlands; (1800–)2000–2600 m; Ariz., Colo., N.Mex.; Mexico (Chihuahua, Durango, Sonora).