High-resolution Fourier transform absorption and luminescence spectroscopy reveal axial and rhombic zero-field splittings of the spin-forbidden electronic origins of V3+ in NaMgAl(ox)3·9H2O (ox=oxalate) single crystals below 25 K. The temperature dependence of the integrated absorption of the split features display behavior consistent with a Boltzmann distribution within the zero-field split 3Â2 ground state of V3+. Weak luminescence is observed in the near-IR from the lowest energy spin-forbidden transition with a luminescence lifetime of less than 0.5 μs at 11 K and an estimated quantum efficiency of the order of 10-5.