Perennial 12—24 cm tall. Stem underground, bulbiferous. Leaflets 5—15 mm long, 10 - 30 mm broad, often mottled purplish red; margin and lower surface pilose. Petiole up to 25 cm long. Scapes 1—5, up to 17 cm long, slender. Flowers 2—12, subumbellate. Sepals 5—7 mm long, lanceolate, tip with a reddish brown callus. Petals 15 20 mm long, yellow. Filament glabrous. Fruiting rare.

Type: Described from `Aethiopia’ Hb. Linn. 600/13. (LINN).

Fl. Per. January-April.

Distribution: A native of the Cape region of South Africa. Naturalised in the Mediterranean region and West Europe, North Africa, Iran, Turkey and South West Asia.

The species found here are most probably pentaploids, which spread rapidly by bulbils. The tetraploids with fruit formation and heterostylous flowers are not known to occur here. Often found as a weed or in shady places in the plains. Commonly known as `yellow sorrel' or `Bermuda buttercup'.