TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) previous taxon | next taxon
Jepson Interchange (more information)
©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora.

    THIS PAGE IS NO LONGER UPDATED
    AND IS MAINTAINED FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY
  • Up-to-date information about California vascular plants is available from the Jepson eFlora.

ONAGRACEAE

EVENING PRIMROSE FAMILY

Warren L. Wagner, except as specified Peter H. Raven, Family Coordinator

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(2–7); 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 1–many 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 5:1–278]

CAMISSONIA

SUN CUP

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 2–3 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 1–2 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, 1781–1838)
Reference: [Raven 1969 Contr US Natl Herb 37:161–396]
Polyploidy and self-pollination have predominated in evolution of genus. Previously included in Oenothera (" O." in synonyms).

Native

C. ovata (Torr. & A. Gray) P.H. Raven

SUN CUP

Perennial, ± fleshy; taproot thick
Stem ± 0
Leaf: blade 30–150 mm, narrowly elliptic to ovate, subentire to wavy, veins and margin with short, erect hairs; petiole 8–150 mm
Inflorescence erect
Flower: hypanthium 2–3 mm, closed by fleshy disk; sepals 11–19 mm; petals 8–23 mm, generally yellow (white); anthers attached at base; sterile tip of ovary 25–180 mm
Fruit 11–30 mm, linear-oblanceolate, ± straight or slightly curved, swollen by seeds, papery, tardily dehiscent, subsessile
Seeds in 2 rows per chamber, 1.8–2.2 mm, papillate, brown
Chromosomes: 2n=14
Ecology: Grassy fields, generally clay soil
Elevation: 0–500 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.

previous taxon | next taxon
bioregional map for CAMISSONIA%20ovata being generated
 


Retrieve Jepson Interchange Index to Plant Names entry for Camissonia ovata
Retrieve dichotomous key for Camissonia
Return to treatment index page
Glossary
University & Jepson Herbaria Home Page | Copyright © by the Regents of the University of California