Oenothera parviflora|small-flowered evening primrose|Onagraceae

Oenothera parviflora.Arthur Haines.New England Wild Flower Society.gobotany.newenglandwild.org,P

Oenothera parviflora is a biennial or brief perennial herb, 10-80 cm tall, very similar to O. biennis but stem rarely branches. Hairier than O. biennis, hairs having enlarged, swollen reddish bases.

Leaves alternate, stem leaves narrowly lance-shaped, somewhat fleshy and thickened. Upper leaves becoming leafy floral bracts, the lower flowers shorter than the bracts.

Flowers yellow, petals 4, 1-2 cm long; calyx tube 1.5-4 cm long, lobes 1-2 cm long; flower buds with appendages near tips of sepals projecting above bud 0.1-0.3 cm, not touching along edges and the base attached just slightly below the actual top of the calyx lobe; tips of inflorescence nodding; blooms and fruits July-Oct.

Fruit a dry capsule to 4 cm long.

Wetland status: FACU-.

Frequency in NYC: Very infrequent, or very infrequently recognized as different from O. biennis.

Origin: Native.

Habitat: Open, disturbed sites.

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Oenothera parviflora small-flowered evening primrose Onagraceae OEPA; Bx, pb (DeCandido 2001); Q, j (Stalter and Lamont 2002);