Oxyria sp.
Mountain sorrel, Mountain Sorrel
(c) Jason Hollinger, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Annual · Native
Oxyria sp. (Mountain sorrel) is a native California annual in the Polygonaceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Rumex: Oxyria has kidney-shaped leaves and 4 flower parts; Rumex has lance-shaped leaves and 6 parts.; vs Bistorta: Oxyria has flattened winged fruits; Bistorta has dense bottlebrush flower spikes and plump seeds.; vs Persicaria: Oxyria is alpine with winged fruits; Persicaria grows in wetlands with spike-like flower clusters.; vs Aconogonon: Oxyria has kidney-shaped basal leaves; Aconogonon has lance-shaped stem leaves and branched stems.; vs Polygonum: Oxyria has 4-part flowers and winged fruits; Polygonum has 5-part flowers and unwinged fruits.
Frequently asked questions
Is Oxyria sp. native to California?
Yes. Oxyria sp. is native to California (recorded as native).
What plant family does Oxyria sp. belong to?
Oxyria sp. is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Oxyria.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.