Oxalis aquatica/natans
320083817243-0001@t-online.de (Mon, 30 Jan 2006 15:18:23 PST)

Dear All,

Thank you all for the echo on my short contribution! I made a mistake: it is
not Oxalis aquatica but Oxalis natans that I meant, I just wrote the name from
memory and your reaction made me look up the source I got this name from. It is
Martyn Rix' book 'Growing Bulbs' and I quote a passage on Page 3: "Some water
plants that grow in seasonal pools have evolved tuberous rhizomes with which to
survive the dry season; examples are many tropical waterlilies (Nymphaea) and
several Aponogeton species. An interesting group of plants are most highly
evolved in South Africa; they are semi-aquatic members of primarily
terrestsrial genera which live in vleis, such as Romulea aquatica, Dipidax
triquetra, and Oxalis natans, a beautiful but rare and endangered species in
which the leaves and flowers float on the surface of the water" Sounds great,
doesn't it?
So I think confusion with Marsilea which is related to ferns is excluded and
Marsilea is available in the trade. Any source of this most desirable plant
known?

greetings rom Germany, Uli