Primrose, Shortfin Evening Primrose

Shortfin Evening Primrose Oenothera flava. An early blooming perennial with a thick, deep, lumpy tap-root, which grows a rosette of deeply pinnate leaves born on red petioles. Large (2”), bright yellow flowers, with 4 petals are born singly on long (3”) pedicles, the flower center leading to a long, hollow nectar tube which attracts moths which pollinate the flower.  The short-lived flowers open overnight and close by late afternoon.  A filamentous pistol, tipped with a cross-shaped stigma, extends out beyond the 8 stamen, each of which is tipped with bright yellow anthers. Flowers convert to 4 winged, paddle-wheel, seed capsules, which split open, scattering seeds as they roll about as the wind pushes them along. Common on road medians and lawns, O flava tolerates mowing.  PDU (154) 3/25/14; 2/20/16-6/10/16; 2/27/17-6/1/17; 3/4/18-5/23/18; 2/12/19 – ; 2/6/20 – 4/28/20;

Shortfin Evening Primrose habit; a rosette of deeply pinnate leaves which sprout from a deep, thick taproot, with large, yellow flowers that open in the evening

Note; a rosette of deeply pinnate leaves born on red stems.

Note; short lived, showy, yellow flowers on stems 2-3” long, which close by the afternoon.

Note; large, yellow flowers with 4 petals and 8 stamen tipped with yellow anthers surrounding a long nectar tube from which projects a green pistol

Note; four cornered seed capsules which the wind tumbles

 

Primrose, Pink Ladies

Pink Ladies (Showy Evening Primrose) Oenothera speciosa. This short (10-15”), pithy, thin stemmed annual has alternating, lance shaped leaves, the older leaves pinnate towards the stem, while younger leaves have a smooth margin.  The 4 petals of the large (2-3”), paper thin, pink flowers unfurl in slow succession from tightly rolled buds arranged on a drooping, terminal spike. The rounded petals are deeply veined with red, while the color of the petals shifts to yellow around the nectar tube in the center.  Eight long stamens, each holding a pair of yellow anthers, rise from the inner rim of the petals.  A filamentous pistol, with a cross-shaped stigma, emerges from the central tube.  Occasionally growing in full sun, the plant prefers partial shade, such as forest margins Flowers begin white, blushing pink over their short (2-3 day) life.  Roadsides, PDU, PL (278) 4/6/15-5/5/15; 3/27/16; 3/15/17-6/5/17; 3/25/18; 4/7/19; 3/28/20;

Pink Ladies habit; fibrous stems with alternating lance-shaped leaves, and terminal spikes of large, white to pink flowers

Note; deep red veining in the 4 petals, with a yellow zone in the center around the nectar tube,

 

Note; pistol in central nectar tube has an X shaped stigma

Note; 8 filamentous stamen on the rim of the hollow, yellow nectar tube have two anthers per stamen,

Fluttermill

Fluttermill (Missouri Evening Primrose) Oenothera macrocarpa (missouriensis). This semi-pithy clump of reddish stems, 18” tall or more, with alternating strap-like leaves, 2-3” long, is common on chalky soils along road-sides.  Large (4”), tissue thin, showy, yellow flowers, each with 4 petals, are carried on hollow nectar tubes 3” long or more, which grow from a thickened, four cornered seed pod.  Each flower has eight stamens, and a cross shaped stigma.   Seed pods mature into large, paddle-wheel like seed capsules with 4 blades, which the name macrocarpa “large fruit” reflects.  Wind blows the seed pods around, scattering seeds. Preferring chalky soils, Fluttermills send down a deep taproot, and so, though they are drought tolerant, are difficult to transplant. (154) 5/10/15; 4/23/16; 4/14/17- ; 5/1/18-6/10/18; 6/1/19; 5/5/20;

Fluttermill habit; perennial clumps of reddish stems with alternating, lanceolate leaves and large yellow flowers born on long stems

Note; straplike, grey-green leaves with no stems arranged around red stems in an alternating spiral

Note; showy, tissue thin, four petal flowers with 8 stamen which rim the long nectar tube.

Note, the cross shaped stigma emerges from the nectar tube

Note; large, tough, four sided seed capsules which scatter seeds out the small terminal hole as they are rolled around by the wind

 

Bee Blossom

Bee Blossom (Kisses) Gaura suffulta. This short (10-18”) single stemmed plant with alternating, lanceolate, coarse-toothed leaves up to 2” long, is also known as “White Flags” for the bright white flowers, which seem to float in space.  An unbranched terminal spike of white flowers droops slightly at the end.  Showy ½” flowers open in slow succession, older flowers often turning pinkish. All four paddle shaped petals have a thin stem and are swept back in the opposite way from the eight white stamen, each of which is tipped with red-brown anthers.  A solid red form is sold in nurseries, bur rarely seen in the wild. Common in grassy areas of roadsides, SWk, PDU, PL (36) 4/9/15; 4/1/16; 4/17/17- ; 5/1/18; 4/7/19; 4/24/20;

Kisses Bee Blossom habit; a single stem of alternating, narrow, slightly toothed, lanceolate leaves bearing of spike of white flowers

Note; the single, slightly hairy stem, is lined with lanceolate leaves that have a slightly toothed margin, arranged in an alternating spiral

Note; terminal spike of white flowers with four, swept back, paddle like petals

Note; eight stamen, each tipped with a reddish anther, surround the central pistol, which has a stigma divided into four lobes