Oenothera curtiflora
Oenothera dodgeniana
lizard-tail, small-flower bee-blossom, small-flower gaura, velvet weed
erect, unbranched or many-branched distally, (20–)30–200(–300) cm.
1 or few-branched from base, 50–120 cm.
in a basal rosette and cauline, basal 4–15 × 1.5–3 cm, petiole 0–1.8 cm, blade broadly oblanceolate, margins sinuate-dentate to dentate;
cauline 2–13 × 0.5–5 cm, petiole 0–2 cm, blade narrowly elliptic to narrowly ovate, margins sinuate-dentate to dentate.
in a basal rosette and cauline, basal 6–20 × 1–3 cm, blade lanceolate to narrowly elliptic;
cauline 5–10 × 1–2.5 cm, blade lanceolate to narrowly elliptic, margins subentire or repand-denticulate.
relatively long, dense.
4-merous, nearly actinomorphic, opening near sunset;
floral tube 1.5–5 mm;
sepals 2–3.5 mm;
petals white, fading pale to dark pink, slightly unequal, oblong-obovate to elliptic-oblanceolate, 1.5–3 mm, abruptly clawed;
filaments 1.5–3 mm, anthers 0.5–1 mm, pollen 85–100% fertile;
style 3–9 mm, stigma surrounded by anthers at anthesis.
4-merous, zygomorphic, opening at sunset;
floral tube 10–11 mm;
sepals 11–15 mm;
petals white, fading pink, rhombic-obovate, 11–14 mm;
filaments 6.5–9 mm, anthers 2.5–4 mm, pollen 90–100% fertile;
style 22–28 mm, stigma exserted beyond anthers.
fusiform, terete, weakly angled in distal 1/3, angles becoming broad and rounded in proximal part, 5–11 × 1.5–3 mm, tapering abruptly toward base;
sessile.
ellipsoid or ovoid, sharply 4-angled, with deep furrows alternating with angles for 2–3 mm from apex, ribbed from base of furrow to base of fruit, 9–11 × 3–5 mm;
sessile.
3 or 4, reddish brown, 2–3 × 1–1.5 mm.
2–4, yellowish to light brown, 2–3 mm.
= 14.
= 14.
Oenothera curtiflora
Oenothera dodgeniana
Oenothera curtiflora is self-compatible and autogamous (P. H. Raven and D. P. Gregory 1972[1973]). Sometimes it is apparently a biennial. The species is native to grassland regions and open areas across much of interior North America. The full extent of its indigenous range is not clear and collections from the eastern half of the United States (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, and Tennessee) and California may be more recent introductions. Gaura mollis Nuttall ex Torrey 1827 is an isonym of G. mollis E. James 1822, a suppressed name.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Oenothera dodgeniana occurs in two disjunct areas: the western foothills of the San Juan Mountains in Archuleta and Huerfano counties, Colorado, and Rio Arriba County, New Mexico; and Sierra Blanca and Sacramento Mountains in Lincoln and Otero counties, south-central New Mexico. The species was collected once at Durango, La Plata County, Colorado (P. H. Raven and D. P. Gregory 1972[1973]), but has not since been recollected. Oenothera dodgeniana and O. coloradensis were considered by Raven and Gregory to represent a relict species along the eastern flank of the Rocky Mountains that arose from more widespread species farther to the east, such as O. filiformis. Oenothera dodgeniana belongs to a subclade which is sister to that containing O. coloradensis, and within that subclade is sister to O. demareei and O. lindheimeri (W. L. Wagner et al. 2013). Although O. dodgeniana is fairly closely related to O. coloradensis, the two taxa seem to have had independent origins that have led to distributions along the eastern flank of the Rocky Mountains. Oenothera dodgeniana is self-compatible (Raven and Gregory).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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