Class
Family
Genus
Classification
Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Oenothera speciosa Nutt., J. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 2: 119 (1821)
Vernacular Name(s):
White evening primrose
Description
Perennial herb with creeping rhizomes. Aerial stems slender, erect, reddish, to c. 60 cm tall, glabrous towards the base, becoming densely hairy towards infl. with short, curly, antrorse hairs. Rosette lvs 0. Cauline lvs variable in dissection; lvs on short vegetative shoots small and entire with slender petiole to 1.5 cm long; lvs on reproductive shoots sinuate, pinnatisect in lower part and with short, indistinct, winged petioles; lamina 3–8 × 1–2.5 cm, lanceolate, oblanceolate or elliptic, glabrous or glabrate except when young or near infl.; base attenuate; apex obtuse. Fls several in a loose sessile spike, diurnal. Floral tube 1.5–2 cm long, narrow-cylindric, with hairs as on upper stems. Buds curving downwards, narrow. Sepals to 3.5 cm long, with erect, mucronate apices, with hairs as on upper stem. Petals 3.2–4 cm long, broad-obovoid, white or pink with yellow base, emarginate. Style exserted by 2.5–3 cm, very slender, often > stamens. Stigma lobes c. 1 cm long, filiform. Capsules not seen.
[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]
Biostatus
Exotic
Phenology
Flowering: Nov.–Apr.
Bibliography
Nuttall, T. 1821: Descriptions of rare plants recently introduced into the gardens of Philadelphia. Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 2(1): 179–182.
