Oenothera elata

Oenothera elata
Oenothera elata subsp. hookeri
Conservation status
Secure  (NatureServe) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Onagraceae
Genus:	Oenothera
Species:	O. elata
Binomial name
Oenothera elata Kunth
Subspecies [2]
O. e. subsp. elata O. e. subsp. hirsutissima O. e. subsp. hookeri

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. ^[3] 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. ^[4] The plants are found along roadsides, in moist meadows, or in woodland, from sea level up to 9,000 ft (2,700 m) in elevation. ^[5]

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. ^[5]

Taxonomy

Oenothera elata was scientifically described and given its accepted name by Carl Sigismund Kunth in 1823. ^[2] It has 50 synonyms of the species or one of its three subspecies according to Plants of the World Online. ^{[2] [6] [7] [8]}

Table of Synonyms

Name	Year	Rank	Synonym of:	Notes
Oenothera biennis f. hookeri(Torr. & A.Gray) B.Boivin	1966	form	subsp. hookeri	≡ hom.
Oenothera biennis var. hirsutissimaA.Gray ex S.Watson	1873	variety	subsp. hirsutissima	≡ hom.
Oenothera biennis var. hookeri(Torr. & A.Gray) B.Boivin	1967	variety	subsp. hookeri	≡ hom.
Oenothera communis var. hookeri(Torr. & A.Gray) H.Lév.	1909	variety	subsp. hookeri	≡ hom.
Oenothera corymbosaSims	1818	species	subsp. hirsutissima	= het., nom. illeg.
Oenothera elata var. hirsutissima(A.Gray) Cronquist	1997	variety	subsp. hirsutissima	≡ hom.
Oenothera elata subsp. texensisW.Dietr. & W.L.Wagner	1987	subspecies	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera franciscanaBartlett	1914	species	subsp. hookeri	= het.
Oenothera grisea(Bartlett) Rostański	1985	species	subsp. hirsutissima	= het., nom. illeg.
Oenothera guttata(Greene ex R.R.Gates) R.R.Gates	1933	species	subsp. hirsutissima	= het., nom. illeg.
Oenothera hewettiiCockerell	1919	species	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera hirsutissima(A.Gray ex S.Watson) de Vries	1901	species	subsp. hirsutissima	≡ hom.
Oenothera hookeriTorr. & A.Gray	1840	species	subsp. hookeri	≡ hom.
Oenothera hookeri subsp. angustifolia(R.R.Gates) Munz	1949	subspecies	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera hookeri var. angustifoliaR.R.Gates	1915	variety	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera hookeri subsp. euhookeriMunz	1949	subspecies	subsp. hookeri	≡ hom., not validly publ.
Oenothera hookeri var. euhookeriMunz	1949	variety	subsp. hookeri	≡ hom., not validly publ.
Oenothera hookeri var. franciscana(Bartlett) R.R.Gates	1957	variety	subsp. hookeri	= het.
Oenothera hookeri subsp. grisea(Bartlett) Munz	1949	subspecies	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera hookeri subsp. hewettiiCockerell	1913	subspecies	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera hookeri var. hewettii(Cockerell) R.R.Gates	1957	variety	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera hookeri subsp. hirsutissima(A.Gray ex S.Watson) Munz	1949	subspecies	subsp. hirsutissima	≡ hom.
Oenothera hookeri var. hirsutissima(A.Gray ex S.Watson) Munz	1939	variety	subsp. hirsutissima	≡ hom.
Oenothera hookeri var. irrigua(Wooton & Standl.) R.R.Gates	1915	variety	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera hookeri subsp. montereyensisMunz	1949	subspecies	subsp. hookeri	= het.
Oenothera hookeri var. montereyensis(Munz) Hoover	1970	variety	subsp. hookeri	= het.
Oenothera hookeri subsp. ornata(A.Nelson) Munz	1949	subspecies	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera hookeri var. ornata(A.Nelson) Munz	1949	variety	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera hookeri var. semiglabraR.R.Gates	1915	variety	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera hookeri var. simsiana(Ser.) R.R.Gates	1957	variety	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera hookeri subsp. venusta(Bartlett) Munz	1949	subspecies	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera irriguaWooton & Standl.	1913	species	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera jepsoniiGreene	1891	species	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera macbrideae(A.Nelson) A.Heller	1913	species	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera macbrideae var. ornata(A.Nelson) R.R.Gates	1957	variety	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera montereyensis(Munz) Rostański	1985	species	subsp. hookeri	= het.
Oenothera ornata(A.Nelson) Rydb.	1913	species	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera salicifoliaDesf. ex Lehm.	1824	species	subsp. elata	= het., nom. illeg.
Oenothera simsianaSer.	1828	species	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera spectabilisSpach	1835	species	subsp. hirsutissima	= het., nom. illeg.
Oenothera venustaBartlett	1914	species	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera venusta var. griseaBartlett	1914	variety	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Onagra elata(Kunth) Bartl.	1838	species	O. elata	≡ hom.
Onagra guttataGreene ex R.R.Gates	1915	species	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Onagra hookeri(Torr. & A.Gray) Small	1896	species	subsp. hookeri	≡ hom.
Onagra kunthianaSpach	1835	species	subsp. elata	= het.
Onagra macbrideaeA.Nelson	1911	species	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Onagra ornataA.Nelson	1911	species	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Onagra salicifoliaSpach	1835	species	subsp. elata	= het.
Onagra spectabilisSpach	1835	species	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Notes: ≡ homotypic synonym  ; = heterotypic synonym

Uses

The Zuni people apply a poultice of the powdered flower of the hookeri subspecies and saliva at night to swellings. ^[9]

Gallery

• 
  Oenothera elata (Hooker's evening primrose), Irvine CA
• 
  Oenothera elata flowers, Eastern Sierra, 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

References

1. NatureServe (5 September 2025). "Oenothera elata". NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
2. "Oenothera elata Kunth". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 5 September 2025.
3. "Oenothera elata". Germplasm Resources Information Network . Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture . Retrieved 19 January 2018.
4. "Botanica. The Illustrated AZ of over 10000 garden plants and how to cultivate them", p. 612. Könemann, 2004. ISBN   3-8331-1253-0
5. 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.
6. "Oenothera elata subsp. elata". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 5 September 2025.
7. "Oenothera elata subsp. hirsutissima (A.Gray) W.Dietr". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 5 September 2025.
8. "Oenothera elata subsp. hookeri (Torr. & A.Gray) W.Dietr. & W.L.Wagner". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 5 September 2025.
9. 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

• Raven, Peter; Dietrich, Werner; Stubbe, Wilfried (Autumn 1979). "An Outline of the Systematics of Oenothera Subsect. Euoenothera (Onagraceae)". Systematic Botany. 4 (3): 242–252. doi:10.2307/2418422. JSTOR   2418422.
• Dietrich, Werner; L. Wagner, Warren (1987). "A New Combination and New Subspecies in Oenothera Elata Kunth (Onagraceae)". Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. 74 (1): 151–152. doi:10.2307/2399273. JSTOR   2399273.

External links

• Calflora Database: Oenothera elata (Hooker's evening primrose)
• Jepson Manual eFlora treatment of Oenothera elata
• Photo gallery