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Oxalis caerulea

(Small) R. Knuth

Blue Woodsorrel

G4Apparently Secure Found in 3 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.156305
Element CodePDOXA01070
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderGeraniales
FamilyOxalidaceae
GenusOxalis
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-07-23
Change Date2024-07-23
Edition Date2024-07-23
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 80
Rank Reasons
Oxalis caerulea is a wide-ranging perennial herb occurring in southwestern North America in Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico in the United States and Chihuahua, Durango, and Sonora in Mexico. Little is known about threats or trends, but with a large range extent and moderate number of occurrences, abundant habitat, broad habitat preferences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Oxalis caerulea occurs in southwestern North America in Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico in the United States and Chihuahua, Durango, and Sonora in Mexico (FNA 2016). Range extent was estimated to be over 760,000 square kilometers using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1983 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1983 and 2024, it is estimated that there are over 30 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, this species is potentially threatened by development, invasive species, and other threats in some places.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Oxalis caerulea grows in "streambeds, stream banks, meadows, pinyon-juniper, pine-oak-juniper, or pine-aspen woodlands" (FNA 2016).
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - ConiferGrassland/herbaceous
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
ColoradoS2Yes
New MexicoSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined———

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (3)
New Mexico (3)
AreaForestAcres
Mt. TaylorCibola National Forest6,355
South Guadalupe MountainsLincoln National Forest20,930
T BarGila National Forest6,823
References (5)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2016. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 12. Magnoliophyta: Vitaceae to Garryaceae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiv + 603 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  3. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  5. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).