Oenothera curtiflora
Oenothera nealleyi
lizard-tail, small-flower bee-blossom, small-flower gaura, velvet weed
erect, unbranched or many-branched distally, (20–)30–200(–300) cm.
usually well-branched, 20–70(–100) 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 3.5–9 × 0.5–1.5 cm, blade lyrate;
cauline 1.5–7 × 0.1–0.6 cm, blade narrowly lanceolate to linear, margins sinuate-dentate, undulate.
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 10–20 mm;
sepals 11–21 mm;
petals white, fading pink to red, elliptic to elliptic-obovate, 10–15 mm;
filaments 8–13 mm, anthers 2–6 mm, pollen 90–100% fertile;
style 22–36 mm, stigma exserted beyond anthers at anthesis.
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, narrowly 4-winged, furrowed between angles, 4.5–8 × 2–5 mm, stipe 0.2–2.2 mm;
sessile.
3 or 4, reddish brown, 2–3 × 1–1.5 mm.
3 or 4 (or 5), yellowish to light brown, 2–3(–4) × 1 mm.
= 14.
= 14.
Oenothera curtiflora
Oenothera nealleyi
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 nealleyi is restricted to an area from trans-Pecos Texas and northern Coahuila, Mexico, north to Bernalillo and Torrance counties, New Mexico. P. H. Raven and D. P. Gregory (1972[1973]) considered O. nealleyi to represent an unevenly intergrading entity with O. suffulta based on merging of distinguishing characteristics. The known intermediates occur in Terrell County, Texas, and were previously described as Gaura suffulta var. terrellensis Munz, but until new data on its status are available, we include this name with O. nealleyi. The molecular data (K. N. Krakos, unpubl.) suggest that O. nealleyi is not as closely related to O. suffulta as suggested by Raven and Gregory, given the placement in the phylogeny and the difference in scent profiles for these two taxa. Oenothera suffulta is a member of a strongly supported clade that also includes O. patriciae and O. triangulata, while O. nealleyi is a member of a polytomy that consists of other species of subsect. Gaura, with the O. suffulta—O. triangulata—O. patriciae clade sister to it (W. L. Wagner et al. 2013). Oenothera nealleyi has a strong sweet scent, whereas O. suffulta does not have a discernible scent (Wagner et al.). Raven and Gregory determined O. nealleyi to be self-incompatible.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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