TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora. |
AND IS MAINTAINED FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY |
Annual to tree
Leaves basal or cauline, alternate, opposite, or whorled, generally simple and toothed (to pinnately compound); stipules 0 or generally deciduous
Inflorescence: spike, raceme, panicle, or flowers solitary in axils; bracted
Flower generally bisexual, generally radial, opening at dawn or dusk; hypanthium sometimes prolonged beyond ovary (measured from ovary tip to sepal base); sepals generally 4(27); petals generally 4 (or as many as sepals, rarely 0), often "fading" darker; stamens generally 4 or 8(2), anthers 2-chambered, opening lengthwise, pollen generally interconnected by threads; ovary inferior, chambers generally 4 (sometimes becoming 1), placentas axile or parietal, ovules 1many per chamber, style 1, stigma 4-lobed (or lobes as many as sepals), club-shaped, or hemispheric
Fruit: capsule, loculicidal (sometimes berry or indehiscent and nut-like)
Seeds sometimes winged or hair-tufted
Genera in family: 15 genera, ± 650 species: worldwide, especially w North America; many cultivated (Clarkia, Epilobium, Fuchsia, Gaura, Oenothera )
Reference: [Munz 1965 North America Fl II 5:1278]
Annual, perennial herb, from taproot or lateral roots
Leaves basal, cauline, or both, alternate, simple to 2-pinnate
Inflorescence bracted; spike, raceme, or flowers solitary in axils
Flower radial, generally opening at dawn (rarely at dusk); sepals 4, reflexed (sometimes 23 remaining adherent); petals 4, yellow, white, lavender, often with darker basal spots, generally fading purplish or reddish; stamens (4)8, longer ones opposite sepals, anthers generally attached at middle (or base), pollen grains 3-angled except in polyploid taxa (visible with hand lens); ovary chambers 4, stigma ± head-like or hemispheric, generally > anthers and cross-pollinated (or ± = anthers and self-pollinated)
Fruit straight to coiled, generally sessile
Seeds in 12 rows per chamber
Species in genus: 62 species: w North America (especially CA-FP), 1 South America
Etymology: (L.A. von Chamisso, French-born German botanist, 17811838)
Reference: [Raven 1969 Contr US Natl Herb 37:161396]
Polyploidy and self-pollination have predominated in evolution of genus. Previously included in Oenothera (" O." in synonyms).
Native |
Annual, rosetted, generally reddish, minutely strigose (inflorescence glabrous, longer-hairy, or glandular)
Stem ascending or erect, < 55 cm, ± fleshy
Leaf < 60 mm, narrowly elliptic to narrowly ovate, minutely serrate; petiole < 25 mm
Inflorescence nodding
Flower: hypanthium 1.13 mm; sepals 2.55.5 mm; petals (3)4.88 mm, yellow fading reddish, bases red-dotted or not; < 5% of pollen grains 45-angled
Fruit generally 2030 mm, 0.81 mm wide, cylindric (drying 4-angled), < 5-coiled
Seeds in 1 row per chamber, ± 1.2 mm, minutely pitted in rows, dull brownish black
Chromosomes: 2n=14
Ecology: Generally clay fields, slopes in coastal-sage scrub or chaparral, sandy soils in mtns
Elevation: 1001100 m.
Bioregional distribution: c High Sierra Nevada (Madera Co.), Sacramento Valley (uncommon), Central Western California, Southwestern California (including Santa Cruz Island)
Distribution outside California: n Baja California
Synonyms: O. i. (Jeps.) Munz
Self-pollinated.