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evening primrose, lemondrops

Hilgard's evening primrose, Hilgard's suncup

Habit Herbs, annual, caulescent; with slender taproot. Herbs finely strigillose, more densely so distally, especially on ovary.
Stems

densely leafy distally, nearly leafless proximally, with many slender, ascending branches from base.

erect to ascending, capillary, 1–15 cm.

Leaves

cauline, alternate, often appearing subverticillate and densely tufted;

stipules absent;

sessile;

blade margins entire.

linear to linear-oblanceolate, 1–3 × 0.1–0.3 cm.

Inflorescences

spikes, densely leafy.

Flowers

bisexual, actinomorphic, buds nodding, becoming erect;

floral tube deciduous (with sepals, petals, and stamens) after anthesis, relatively narrow, with basal nectary;

sepals 4, reflexed singly or in pairs;

petals 4, yellow, fading pale yellowish orange, without spots;

stamens 8 in 2 unequal series, epipetalous ones sometimes very reduced, or 4 in 1 series, epipetalous ones absent, anthers versatile, pollen shed singly;

ovary 4-locular, stigma entire, subglobose, surface probably wet and non-papillate.

opening near sunrise;

floral tube 1.5–2 mm;

sepals 2–3 mm;

petals 2.5–5 mm; episepalous filaments 2–4 mm, epipetalous filaments 1.5–2.8 mm, sometimes epipetalous stamens absent, anthers of longer stamens 0.7–0.8 mm, those of shorter ones 0.5–0.6 mm;

style 4.5–6 mm, sparsely pubescent near base, stigma 0.7–0.8 mm diam., surrounded by anthers at anthesis.

Fruit

a capsule, straight, strongly flattened, somewhat torulose, regularly loculicidal, dehiscent nearly throughout length;

sessile.

Capsules

ascending, strongly flattened from unequal width of valves, 5–10 × 1–1.3 mm.

Seeds

numerous, in 1 row per locule, narrowly obovoid, smooth, shiny, without dots or blotches.

0.7–1.3 × 0.3–0.4 mm.

xI> = 7.

2n

= 14.

Neoholmgrenia

Neoholmgrenia hilgardii

Phenology Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat Sandy or clay soil, in sagebrush scrub.
Elevation 0–500 m. (0–1600 ft.)
Distribution
w North America
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Species 2 (2 in the flora).

R. A. Levin et al. (2004) found strong molecular support for Neoholmgrenia in a clade with Camissoniopsis and Tetrapteron. P. H. Raven (1969) found Neoholmgrenia (as Camissonia sect. Nematocaulis) to be one of the most distinctive groups in Camissonia by virtue of its relatively short (less than 10 mm), flattened capsules and densely clustered leaves near the tips of otherwise leafless stems. Reproductive features include: self-compatible; flowers diurnal; outcrossing and pollinated by small bees or flies, or autogamous and occasionally cleistogamous (Raven).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Neoholmgrenia hilgardii is probably self-compatible but outcrossing. The species occasionally grows sympatrically with N. andina (P. H. Raven 1969). It is known from Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Kittitas, Okanagan, and Yakima counties, Washington. The species was collected twice along the lower Columbia River, at Bingen, Klickitat County, Washington, and Hayden Island, Multnomah County, Oregon.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Key
1. Petals 2.5–5 mm; styles 4.5–6 mm.
N. hilgardii
1. Petals 0.8–2.3 mm; styles 1.7–3 mm.
N. andina
Source FNA vol. 10. Author: Warren L. Wagner. FNA vol. 10.
Parent taxa Onagraceae > subfam. Onagroideae > tribe Onagreae Onagraceae > subfam. Onagroideae > tribe Onagreae > Neoholmgrenia
Sibling taxa
N. andina
Subordinate taxa
N. andina, N. hilgardii
Synonyms Holmgrenia, Oenothera section nematocaulis Oenothera hilgardii, Camissonia hilgardii, Holmgrenia hilgardii, O. andina var. hilgardii, Sphaerostigma andinum var. hilgardii, S. hilgardii
Name authority W. L. Wagner & Hoch: Novon 19: 131. (2009) (Greene) W. L. Wagner & Hoch: Novon 19: 132. (2009)
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