Species diversity of wood sorrel (<i>Oxalis</i> L.) in the Russian Federation: review

Abstract

Oxalis L. is a large genus of flowering plants, rich in representatives with diverse life forms and adapted to a wide range of ecological conditions. Many Oxalis species are invasive and weedy plants and also have practical applications in medicine, landscaping, and cooking. This article attempts provide a brief review of the available data on the study of Oxalis diversity, mostly in the works of Russian researchers. The authors have found a lack of clear consistency between information on Oxalis species diversity in Russia in domestic literary sources, existing herbarium specimens from the Moscow State University herbarium (MW) and data from the iNaturalist database. According to the literature, the genus Oxalis is represented in Russia by the following species: O. acetosella L., O. corniculata L., O. debilis Kunth, O. dillenii Jacq., O. latifolia Kunth, O. obtriangulata Maxim., O. stricta L., O. tetraphylla Cav., O. violacea L. The frequent occurrence of the synonymous genera Xanthoxalis Small and Jonoxalis Small in the literature has been noted. Herbarium specimens indicate the presence of the species O. articulata Savigny in Russia, but the absence of O. latifolia. According to the iNaturalist database, the genus Oxalis is represented in Russia by the following species: O. acetosella, O. articulata, O. corniculata, O. debilis, O. dillenii, O. latifolia, O. obtriangulata, O. stricta, O. tetraphylla. The analysis of the cited sources shows the uncertainty of the degree of distribution in Russia of such species as O. corniculata, O. dillenii and O. stricta and indicates the need to verify the locations of O. articulata, O. debilis, O. latifolia, O. tetraphylla, O. violacea. It also confirms the aboriginality of O. acetosella and O. obtriangulata in Russia. Further study of these issues will shine a spotlight on the species diversity of Oxalis in Russia, including the prevalence of invasive species: O. articulata, O. corniculata, O. dillenii, O. stricta.