Flora of North America species comparison

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Oenothera californica subsp. californica

Oenothera californica subsp. avita
Photo is of parent taxon

California evening primrose
Photo is of parent taxon

California evening primrose
Habit Herbs perennial, densely strigillose and villous, sometimes glabrous; from a taproot, lateral roots producing adventitious shoots. Herbs perennial, densely strigillose and villous; from a taproot, lateral roots producing adventitious shoots.
Stems

ascending to decumbent, unbranched or branched, new rosettes not forming at branch apex, 10–40 cm.

ascending to decumbent, unbranched or branched, new rosettes not forming at branch apex, 10–40 cm.
Leaves

blade oblong to oblanceolate to spatulate, margins usually entire or weakly dentate, sometimes more conspicuously dentate to pinnatifid.

blade oblong to oblanceolate or spatulate, margins usually conspicuously dentate to pinnatifid, rarely some or all entire or weakly dentate.
Flowers

floral tube 20–40 mm;

sepals 15–25 mm;

petals 15–30 mm.

floral tube 25–35 mm;

sepals 15–30 mm;

petals 25–35(–40) mm.
Capsules

30–55 mm.

20–80 mm.
2n

= 28.

= 14.

Oenothera californica subsp. californica

Oenothera californica subsp. avita
Phenology Flowering Apr–Jul(–Sep). Flowering (Apr–)May–Jul.
Habitat Sandy or gravelly areas, open, coastal-sage scrub, chaparral, oak woodlands. Sandy-gravelly flats, desert scrub, Joshua tree woodlands, oak woodlands, pinyon-juniper or pine woodlands.
Elevation 90–2000 m. (300–6600 ft.) 800–2500 m. (2600–8200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; Mexico (Baja California)
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; NV; UT
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Subspecies californica occurs in southwestern California from San Luis Obispo County south and into the Little San Bernardino Mountains to northern Baja California (Sierra de San Pedro Mártir).

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

Subspecies avita occurs in southeastern California (south of areas just north of Bishop) mostly to the east of subsp. californica, eastward to northwestern Arizona, southern half of Nevada, and southwestern Utah. Some populations in the mountains of San Diego County, California, and northern Baja California (Sierra de San Pedro Mártir) appear to fit within subsp. avita (J. Rebman, pers. comm.).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 10. FNA vol. 10.
Parent taxa Onagraceae > subfam. Onagroideae > tribe Onagreae > Oenothera > sect. Anogra > Oenothera californica Onagraceae > subfam. Onagroideae > tribe Onagreae > Oenothera > sect. Anogra > Oenothera californica
Sibling taxa
O. californica subsp. avita, O. californica subsp. eurekensis
O. californica subsp. californica, O. californica subsp. eurekensis
Synonyms O. albicaulis var. melanosperma, O. californica var. glabrata O. avita, O. californica var. avita
Name authority unknown W. M. Klein: Aliso 5: 179. (1962)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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