Oenothera perennis

Linnaeus

Syst. Nat. ed. 10, 2: 998. 1759.

Synonyms: Kneiffia chrysantha (Michaux) Spach K. depauperata Jennings K. perennis (Linnaeus) Pennell Oenothera chrysantha Michaux O. perennis var. rectipilis (S. F. Blake) S. F. Blake O. pumila var. chrysantha (Michaux) Gordinier & Howe O. pumila var. minima Lehmann O. pumila var. pusilla (Michaux) Torrey & A. Gray O. pumila var. rectipilis S. F. Blake O. pusilla Michaux
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 10.

Herbs perennial, sparsely to moderately strigillose, glandular puberulent distally; from fibrous roots. Stems usually erect to slightly decumbent, unbranched to few-branched distally, (3–)15–30(–75) cm. Leaves in a basal rosette and cauline, basal 2–4 × 0.2–1.2 cm, petiole (0.2–)0.5–1.2(–2.5) cm, blade oblanceolate to obovate; cauline 3–7 × 0.2–1.2 cm, petiole 0.1–1 cm, blade oblanceolate to obovate, margins entire or weakly and remotely denticulate. Inflorescences nodding, flowers in axils of distalmost few nodes. Flowers opening near sunrise, nearly unscented; buds with free tips to 1 mm, connivent; floral tube 3–10 mm; sepals 2–4 mm; petals bright yellow, fading pale yellow, or orangish yellow to pale pink, 5–10 mm; filaments 3–4 mm, anthers 1–2 mm, pollen 40–70% fertile; style 3–4 mm, stigma surrounded by anthers at anthesis. Capsules clavate, 4-angled or narrowly 4-winged, 5–10 × 2–3 mm, stipe 1–2 mm; sessile. Seeds 0.7–0.8 × 0.2–0.3 mm. 2n = 14.


Phenology: Flowering May–Jul(–Aug).
Habitat: Fields, open woods, boggy areas.
Elevation: (0–)150–900(–1400) m.

Distribution

St. Pierre and Miquelon, B.C., Man., N.B., Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.), N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Que., Conn., Del., D.C., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Ky., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Mo., Nebr., N.H., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Pa., R.I., S.C., Tenn., Vt., Va., W.Va., Wis.

Discussion

Oenothera perennis, a PTH species that forms a ring of 14 chromosomes in meiosis, is self-compatible and autogamous (G. B. Straley 1977). It is disjunct in Nebraska from the rest of its range in eastern North America, occurring in Garfield, Holt, and Rock counties (R. Kaul, pers. comm.). It is introduced in British Columbia.

Oenotherapumila Linnaeus is an illegitimate substitution based on O. perennis Linnaeus, while Kneiffia michauxii Spach is an illegitimate substitution based O. pumila, as is K. pumila Spach, and the three pertain here.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Oenothera perennis"
Warren L. Wagner +
Linnaeus +
Kneiffia +
St. Pierre and Miquelon +, B.C. +, Man. +, N.B. +, Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.) +, N.S. +, Ont. +, P.E.I. +, Que. +, Conn. +, Del. +, D.C. +, Ill. +, Ind. +, Iowa +, Ky. +, Maine +, Md. +, Mass. +, Mich. +, Minn. +, Mo. +, Nebr. +, N.H. +, N.Y. +, N.C. +, Ohio +, Pa. +, R.I. +, S.C. +, Tenn. +, Vt. +, Va. +, W.Va. +  and Wis. +
(0–)150–900(–1400) m. +
Fields, open woods, boggy areas. +
Flowering May–Jul(–Aug). +
Syst. Nat. ed. +
Kneiffia chrysantha +, K. depauperata +, K. perennis +, Oenothera chrysantha +, O. perennis var. rectipilis +, O. pumila var. chrysantha +, O. pumila var. minima +, O. pumila var. pusilla +, O. pumila var. rectipilis +  and O. pusilla +
Oenothera perennis +
Oenothera sect. Kneiffia +
species +