Oxyria digyna
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| Oxyria digyna Hill |
Oxyria digyna (mountain sorrel, Alpine sorrel or Alpine mountainsorrel) is common all over the High Arctic. Further south it grows in high mountainous areas like the Alps.
It grows in dense tufts, with stems 10-20 cm high. Both flowering stems and leaf stalks are somewhat reddish. Leaves are kidney-shaped, somewhat fleshy, on stalks from the basal part of the stem. Flowers are small, green and later reddish, and are grouped in an open upright cluster. The fruit is a small nut, encircled by a broad wing which finally turns red. Forming dense, red tufts, the plant is easily recognized. O. digyna grows in wet places protected by snow in winter. Oxyria (from Greek) means sour. The leaves have a fresh acidic taste and are rich in vitamin C. They are used by native people to prevent and cure scurvy, and can be used in salads.
