WILD FLOWERS OF THE ALGARVE
SOUTHERN PORTUGAL

Often known as the Bermuda buttercup, Oxalis pes-caprae is neither Bernudan or a buttercup. Found throughout the Mediterranean region today it originated in south Africa. It was possibly first introduced to other countries as a garden flower but quickly spread in the areas with a similar climate to its original home, the Cape Province in Soputh Africa.

It was first recorded in Sicily in 1796, Libya in 1824 and in Portugal in 1825. It spreads rapidly by means of underground bulbils which makes it very difficult to eradicate. In the wild in South Africa it seeds but this seldom occurs here. A cross section of the flower will show that the flowers here have a short style. In South Africa flowers of three different types are produced. Each type is differentiated by a different style length and it is this which facilitates cross pollination of the flowers and the subsequent seed production.

In the Algarve "double" flowers have also been recorded. In these flowers the stamens have been replaced by an extra whole of petals.