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White Evening Primrose (4)

Oenothera cespitosa

Tufted Evening Primrose
Oenothera cespitosa

Family: Evening Primrose (Onagreaceae)
AKA: Stemless Evening Primrose, Gumbo Lily
Photo taken on: May 29, 2005
Location: Almont Triangle, GV, CO
Life Zones: Plains to montane
Habitat: Dry sandy, rocky slopes, disturbed areas

Grows low to the ground from a basal rosette of narrow, irregularly toothed or lobed leaves. Flowers are large, to 4" across, and fragrant, and grow with a long floral tube resembling a stem from the rosette (tuft). Buds point upwards. Flowers open in the evening then wilt and turn pink in the sun.

There are 5 subspecies of the Tufted Evening Primrose which are differentiated by differences in their seed capsules, length of floral tube, and shape and hairiness of the leaves. Below are two more that are unidentified, by me.

Flora of North America reference.

Oenothera cespitosa

Tufted Evening Primrose
Oenothera cespitosa

Photo taken on: May 13, 2016
Location: Red Wash Canyon, Abiquiu, NM

Leaves are densely hairy.

Oenothera cespitosa

Tufted Evening Primrose
Oenothera cespitosa

Photo taken on: September 15, 2016
Location: Box Canyon, Ghost Ranch, NM

Leaves are very long, deeply toothed and not hairy.

Oenothera coronopifolia

Crownleaf Evening Primrose
Oenothera coronopifolia

Family: Evening Primrose (Onagreaceae)
AKA: Cutleaf Evening Primrose
Photo taken on: July 28, 2008
Location: CO SR 69
Life Zones: Foothills to montane
Habitat: Dry slopes, disturbed areas

Grows to 24". Easily identified by its leaves which are deeply divided into narrow comb-like lobes, and hairy throat.

Flora of North America reference.

Oenothera albicaulis

Prairie Evening Primrose
Oenothera albicaulis

Family: Evening Primrose (Onagreaceae)
AKA: Pale Evening Primrose, Whitestem Evening Primrose
Photo taken on: May 15, 2009
Location: White Rock, NM
Life Zones: Plains to foothills
Habitat: Sandy, disturbed areas

Grows to 12" in patches with white or pinkish stems and grayish leaves. The  basal leaves are entire and deeply lobed in a rosette. Stem leaves are deeply lobed.

Flora of North America reference.

Oenothera pallida

Pale Evening Primrose
Oenothera pallida

Family: Evening Primrose (Onagreaceae)
AKA:
Photo taken on: June 23, 2014
Location: Abiquiu, NM
Life Zones: Plains to foothills
Habitat: Sandy areas

Grows to 20" high with arching reddish stems with flowers in the upper part of the stem. Older stems turn white and flaky. Leaves are narrow and can be entire, toothed or deeply lobed. Flowers are up to 2" across with a greenish-yellow center and a hairless throat. Petals have a distinct ridge in the middle of the petal from the center of the flower.

Flora of North America reference.

White/Cream Single Flowers