Oenothera filiformis
Oenothera mckelveyae
bee-blossom, longflower beeblossom
Mckelvey's beeblossom
usually well-branched distal to base, (50–)100–400 cm.
ascending, branched below or just above ground, branched also proximal to inflorescences, 30–70(–120) cm.
in a basal rosette and cauline, basal 8–15(–40) × 1.5–3.6 cm, blade lyrate, margins irregularly toothed to lobed;
cauline 1.5–13 × 0.5–3 cm, blade narrowly elliptic to elliptic or lanceolate, margins subentire or shallowly undulate-denticulate.
in a basal rosette and cauline, basal 3–17 × 0.8–2 cm, blade oblanceolate, cauline 1–6.5 × 0.1–1.5 cm, sessile, blade narrowly oblanceolate to elliptic, margins conspicuously sinuate-dentate, often undulate.
slender.
4-merous, zygomorphic, opening at sunset;
floral tube 4–13(–15) mm;
sepals 7–18 mm;
petals white, fading pink, elliptic to elliptic-obovate, 7–15 mm;
filaments 5–13 mm, anthers 1.5–5 mm, pollen 90–100% fertile;
style 12–34 mm, stigma exserted beyond anthers at anthesis.
4-merous, zygomorphic, opening near sunset;
floral tube 2–3.5 mm;
sepals 6–12 mm;
petals white, fading dark pink to red, slightly unequal, elliptic-obovate, 7–11 mm, long-clawed;
stamens presented in lower 1/2 of flower, filaments 5–9 mm, lanate at very base, anthers 2–4 mm, pollen 90–100% fertile;
style 9–16 mm, stigma exserted beyond anthers at anthesis.
ellipsoid or ovoid, sharply 4-angled, 4.5–7 × 1.5–2.5 mm;
sessile.
reflexed, lanceoloid to narrowly ovoid, narrowly 4-winged, 8–19 × 1.5–2 mm, tapering to a sterile stipe 3–9 mm.
2–4, yellowish to reddish brown, 1.3–3 × 0.7–1.3 mm.
(1 or)2–4, 2–3 × 1 mm, yellowish to reddish brown.
= 14.
= 14.
Oenothera filiformis
Oenothera mckelveyae
P. H. Raven and D. P. Gregory (1972[1973]) found various levels of hybridization and intergradation between Oenothera filiformis and O. lindheimeri to occur where their ranges overlap. In the region of geographical overlap, most populations of O. filiformis are strigillose in the inflorescences and have evening-opening flowers, while O. lindheimeri is villous in the inflorescences, and has large morning-opening flowers. Moreover, O. lindheimeri occurs only on black clay prairie soil, while O. filiformis occurs in light, sandy soil, as it does throughout its range, and in more disturbed areas. Despite these differences, Raven and Gregory found hybridization between these species scattered across an area from eastern Texas across Louisiana to Alabama. At some locations there is apparently no hybridization, while at others hybrids were uncommon to relatively common. Intermediate morning-blooming plants in Alabama appear to represent evidence of past hybridization since O. lindheimeri does not occur there. Many of the individuals they tested had somewhat reduced pollen fertility (40–70% fertile). They suspected that habitat disturbance was primarily responsible in many cases, but they also detected what may have been intergradation resulting from past hybridization outside of the current distribution of O. lindheimeri. Many of these individual cases deserve further investigation to better understand the dynamics of the interactions between these species and if any of the interactions have led to stabilization of novel populations that might be recognized taxonomically.
Very few collections have been made from areas on the periphery of the range of Oenothera filiformis (southern Ontario, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania), and populations in these areas probably represent recent human-based introductions. P. H. Raven and D. P. Gregory (1972[1973]) determined O. filiformis to be self-incompatible.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Oenothera mckelveyae, on the Rio Grande Plain, is found in an area bounded by from Dimmit and LaSalle counties east to Karnes and Refugio counties in the north, southward through south Texas, extending to northeastern Tamaulipas and adjacent Nuevo León. P. H. Raven and D. P. Gregory (1972[1973]) found Oenothera mckelveyae to be self-incompatible.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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