Oenothera curtiflora |
Oenothera organensis |
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lizard-tail, small-flower bee-blossom, small-flower gaura, velvet weed |
Organ Mountain evening primrose |
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Habit | Herbs annual, strigillose, glandular puberulent, and long-villous; from heavy taproot, 2–4 cm diam. | Herbs perennial, moderately hirsute (hairs often with reddish purple, pustulate bases), alsostrigillose and becoming glandular puberulent distally; initially from slender taproot with single rosette, later developing numerous adventitious shoots from taproot and lateral roots, root system then appearing fibrous. |
Stems | erect, unbranched or many-branched distally, (20–)30–200(–300) cm. |
weakly erect to ascending, many from base, forming clumps 1–1.5 m diam., often branched distally, 30–60 cm. |
Leaves | 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 weakly developed basal rosette and cauline, basal 9–23 × 1–2.5 cm, cauline 5–11 × 1.5–3.5 cm; petiole 0.5–1.5 cm; blade very narrowly oblanceolate to narrowly elliptic, margins undulate, remotely and bluntly dentate. |
Inflorescences | relatively long, dense. |
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Flowers | 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. |
opening near sunset, not strongly scented; buds with free tips terminal, erect, 3–10 mm; floral tube straight, 100–165(–190) mm; sepals 25–50 mm; petals yellow, fading deep reddish orange, broadly obovate with truncate apex, or obcordate, 30–55 mm; filaments 18–35 mm, anthers 10–19 mm; style 140–235 mm, stigma exserted beyond anthers at anthesis. |
Capsules | 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. |
erect to slightly spreading at acute angle from stem, cylindrical, 25–35 ×4–5.5 mm, dehiscent at least 3/4 their length. |
Seeds | 3 or 4, reddish brown, 2–3 × 1–1.5 mm. |
numerous, in 2 distinct rows per locule, dark reddish brown, sometimes with darker flecks, obovoid, asymmetrical, irregularly angled, 1.5–2.1 × 1–1.2 mm, surface irregularly pitted and with collapsed papillae. |
2n | = 14. |
= 14. |
Oenothera curtiflora |
Oenothera organensis |
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Phenology | Flowering (Feb–)Apr–Oct. | Flowering Jun–Sep. |
Habitat | Rocky prairie slopes, woodlands, along streams, roadsides, disturbed areas. | In larger rhyolite canyons, along water courses, in eroded basins filled with gravel and rocks. |
Elevation | 10–2800 m. (0–9200 ft.) | 1800–2300 m. (5900–7500 ft.) |
Distribution |
AL; AR; AZ; CA; CO; FL; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; MN; MO; MT; NE; NM; NV; OK; OR; SC; SD; TN; TX; UT; VA; WA; WY; Mexico (Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León, Sinaloa, Zacatecas) [Introduced in South America (Argentina), Asia (China, Japan), Australia]
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NM |
Discussion | 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 organensis is known only from the Organ Mountains, Doña Ana County, especially on the east side. Various studies have been done to assess the status of this narrow endemic and estimate 2000 to 5000 individuals with wide fluctuations likely due to variation in rainfall (W. Dietrich et al. 1985). Oenothera organensis could decline if degradation of habitat increases in the Organ Mountains. The genetics and population biology of this taxon have been heavily studied in the past (summarized in Dietrich et al.). It is self-incompatible. (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. Gaura > subsect. Schizocarya | Onagraceae > subfam. Onagroideae > tribe Onagreae > Oenothera > sect. Oenothera > subsect. Emersonia |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Gaura parviflora, G. australis, G. hirsuta, G. micrantha, G. parviflora var. lachnocarpa, Schizocarya micrantha | O. macrosiphon |
Name authority | W. L. Wagner & Hoch: Syst. Bot. Monogr. 83: 211. (2007) | Munz ex S. Emerson: Genetics 23: 190. (1938) |
Web links |
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