Oenothera elata

Oenothera elata is a species of Oenothera known by the common name Hooker's evening primrose or tall evening primrose. Subspecies include hookeri, hirsutissima, longisima, jamesii, villosa and elata.[1] It is native to much of western and central North America. The plants are quite tall, especially the hookeri subspecies, native to California, which can reach about 1.8 meters (6 feet) height.[2] The plants are found along roadsides, in moist meadows, or woodland, from sea level up to 9,000 ft (2,700 m) in elevation.[3]

Oenothera elata
Oenothera elata subsp. hookeri
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Onagraceae
Genus: Oenothera
Species:
O. elata
Binomial name
Oenothera elata

Description

The stout, usually reddish stem has many long, narrow leaves, above a basal rosette. At its top is a large, open cluster of 2- to 4-inch wide yellow flowers with 4 large petals and protruding yellow stamens and 4-branched pistil, often covered in sticky pollen. The fragrant flowers open at dusk and wilt the next morning, turning orange or red.[3]

Uses

The Zuni people apply a poultice of the powdered flower of the hookeri subspecies and saliva at night to swellings.[4]

  • Oenothera elata (Hooker's evening primrose), Irvine CA
    Oenothera elata (Hooker's evening primrose), Irvine CA
  • Oenothera elata flowers, Eastern Sierra, CA
    Oenothera elata flowers, Eastern Sierra, CA
  • E. elata var hookeri, Water Conservation Garden, El Cajon CA
    E. elata var hookeri, Water Conservation Garden, El Cajon CA
  • Oenothera elata: basal & stem leaves, reddish stems, large yellow flowers, & drying orange-red flowers
    Oenothera elata: basal & stem leaves, reddish stems, large yellow flowers, & drying orange-red flowers

References
  1. "Oenothera elata". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  2. "Botanica. The Illustrated AZ of over 10000 garden plants and how to cultivate them", p. 612. Könemann, 2004. ISBN 3-8331-1253-0
  3. Laird R. Blackwell (2002). Wildflowers of the Eastern Sierra and Adjoining Mojave Desert and Great Basin. Lone Pine Publishing. ISBN 978-1-55105-281-6.
  4. Camazine, Scott; Bye, Robert A. (1980). "A Study Of The Medical Ethnobotany Of The Zuni Indians of New Mexico". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2 (4): 365–388 [377]. doi:10.1016/s0378-8741(80)81017-8. PMID 6893476.

Further reading


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