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 |
Perennial, ± fleshy; taproot thick
Stem ± 0
Leaf: blade 30150 mm, narrowly elliptic to ovate, subentire to wavy, veins and margin with short, erect hairs; petiole 8150 mm
Inflorescence erect
Flower: hypanthium 23 mm, closed by fleshy disk; sepals 1119 mm; petals 823 mm, generally yellow (white); anthers attached at base; sterile tip of ovary 25180 mm
Fruit 1130 mm, linear-oblanceolate, ± straight or slightly curved, swollen by seeds, papery, tardily dehiscent, subsessile
Seeds in 2 rows per chamber, 1.82.2 mm, papillate, brown
Chromosomes: 2n=14
Ecology: Grassy fields, generally clay soil
Elevation: 0500 m.
Bioregional distribution: Northwestern California, Central Western California
Distribution outside California: sw Oregon
Synonyms: O. o. Torr. & A. Gray
Cross-pollinated
Horticultural information: SUN: 5 &IRR: 14, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24.