Oenothera suffrutescens

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Oenothera suffrutescens
Gaura coccinea 8.jpg
Status TNC G5.svg
Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Onagraceae
Genus: Oenothera
Species:
O. suffrutescens
Binomial name
Oenothera suffrutescens
(Moc. & Sessé ex Ser.) W.L.Wagner & Hoch
Synonyms

Gaura coccinea Nutt. ex Pursh

Oenothera suffrutescens (syn. Gaura coccinea) is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known as scarlet beeblossom [1] and scarlet gaura. [2] [3] [4] [5]

Contents

Description

Scarlet beeblossom is a perennial herb growing from a woody base and heavy roots. The stems may reach anywhere from 10 centimeters in height to over a meter and sprawling, and they are often covered in small, stiff hairs. The thin to thick clumps of stems are covered in linear to somewhat oval-shaped leaves one to seven centimeters long. Atop the stems are spike inflorescences of several flowers each. The flower has four long, stiff sepals which open and fall away from the flower to lie reflexed toward the stem. There are four spoon-shaped petals which are white to yellowish and may turn pink with age. Each flower has eight long stamens with large red, pink, or yellowish anthers arranged around a long stigma. The flowers are strongly scented. [6] The fruit is a woody capsule under a centimeter long.

Distribution

The plant is native to much of North America, especially the western and central sections. It can be found in many habitats and is occasionally seen in urban areas. In 2016 NatureServe assessed Oenothera suffrutescens under the name Gaura coccinea as globally secure (G5). [7]

Cultivation

Scarlet beeblossom is occasionally grown in wildflower gardens for the resemblance of its flowers to butterflies and the pleaseant scent they produce when blooming. However, some like the author Claude A. Barr dislike that it spreads by deep rhizomes making it difficult to control in a garden setting. [6]

Related Research Articles

<i>Oenothera speciosa</i> Species of flowering plant

Oenothera speciosa is a species in the evening primrose family known by several common names, including pinkladies, pink evening primrose, showy evening primrose, Mexican primrose, and buttercups.

<i>Oenothera lindheimeri</i> Species of flowering plant

Oenothera lindheimeri, commonly known as Lindheimer's beeblossom, white gaura, pink gaura, Lindheimer's clockweed, and Indian feather, is a species of Oenothera. Several of its common names derive from the genus Gaura, in which this species was formerly placed.

<i>Phacelia campanularia</i> Species of plant

Phacelia campanularia is a species of flowering plant in the borage family, Boraginaceae, known by the common names desertbells, desert bluebells, California-bluebell, desert scorpionweed, and desert Canterbury bells. Its true native range is within the borders of California, in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts, but it is commonly cultivated as an ornamental plant and it can be found growing elsewhere as an introduced species.

<i>Oenothera curtiflora</i> Species of flowering plant

Oenothera curtiflora, known as velvetweed, velvety gaura, downy gaura, or smallflower gaura, is a species of flowering plant native to the central United States and northern Mexico, from Nebraska and Wyoming south to Durango and Nuevo Leon.

<i>Gaura</i> Genus of flowering plants

Gaura was a genus of flowering plants in the family Onagraceae, native to North America. The name was derived from Greek γαῦρος (gaûros) meaning "superb" and named in reference to the stature and floral display of some species in this genus. The genus included many species known commonly as beeblossoms. Genetic research showed that the genus was paraphyletic unless the monotypic genus Stenosiphon is included within Gaura, increasing the number of species in the genus to 22. Gaura is now a synonym of Oenothera, with the bulk of the Gaura taxa in genus Oenotherasect. Gaura(L.) W.L.Wagner &Hoch.

<i>Anaphalis margaritacea</i> Species of flowering plant

Anaphalis margaritacea, commonly known as the western pearly everlasting or pearly everlasting, is an Asian and North American species of flowering perennial plant in the family Asteraceae.

<i>Sphaeralcea coccinea</i> Species of flowering plant

Sphaeralcea coccinea, commonly known as the scarlet globemallow, scarlet mallow, cowboy's delight, prairie mallow, red false mallow, or simply as globe mallow is a perennial plant growing 10–30 cm tall from spreading rhizomes with a low habit. They have grayish stems with dense, star-shaped hairs and alternately arranged leaves. The leaf blades are 2–5 cm long, palmately shaped, and deeply cut, with 3–5 main wedge-shaped segments. The undersides of the leaves have gray hairs. The 1-2.5 cm wide flowers are reddish-orange and saucer-shaped, with 5 notched, broad petals, in small terminal clusters. It produces numerous stamen which surround the pistils as a tube. Plants flower from May to October in southern regions and May to July in northern regions. The plant produces a dry "fruit" called a schizocarp, which after maturity, breaks into roughly 10 or more seed segments.

Oenothera xenogaura, is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common names Drummond's beeblossom and scented gaura. It is native to Mexico and its range extends into Texas. It can be found in parts of the southern and southwestern United States where it is an introduced species and is a minor weed in some areas. This is a mat-forming perennial herb growing from rhizomes. Stems reach 10 or 12 centimeters in height can be plentiful and tightly clumped. Leaves are about one to nine centimeters long and linear to slightly oval-shaped. The stems and foliage are covered in hairs. The plant produces small spike inflorescences with centimeter-long sepals and smaller spoon-shaped petals which are white, fading to pink. The fruit is an erect, woody capsule about a centimeter long with a base shaped like a stalk with a bulge at the center.

<i>Oenothera sinuosa</i> Species of flowering plant

Oenothera sinuosa is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common names wavyleaf beeblossom and Red River gaura. The species was previously treated as Gaura sinuata, but in 2007 the species, along with the genus Gaura was reclassified in the genus Oenothera. This species then becomes O. sinuosa in Oenothera Section Gaura.

<i>Astragalus agrestis</i> Species of milkvetch

Astragalus agrestis is a species of milkvetch known by the common names purple milkvetch, purple loco, and field milkvetch. It is native to much of western and northern North America from most of Canada to the southwestern United States, as well as eastern Asia. It grows in vernally moist areas such as meadows, and is often found in sagebrush.

<i>Oenothera glazioviana</i> Species of flowering plant

Oenothera glazioviana is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common names large-flowered evening-primrose and redsepal evening primrose. Oenothera lamarckiana was formerly believed to be a different species, but is now regarded as a synonym of Oe. glazioviana.

<i>Oenothera macrocarpa</i> Species of flowering plant

Oenothera macrocarpa, the bigfruit evening primrose, Ozark sundrops, Missouri evening primrose, or Missouri primrose, is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family Onagraceae, native to northeast Mexico and the south-central United States, where it is found in calcareous prairies and limestone outcrops.

<i>Castilleja sessiliflora</i> Species of flowering plant

Castilleja sessiliflora is a species of flowering plant in the family Orobanchaceae known by the common names downy Indian paintbrush and downy paintedcup. It is native to the Great Plains of North America from southern Canada, through the central United States, to northern Mexico. It occurs as far west as the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.

<i>Oenothera harringtonii</i> Species of flowering plant

Oenothera harringtonii is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common names Arkansas Valley evening primrose and Colorado Springs evening primrose. It is endemic to the state of Colorado in the United States.

<i>Portulaca suffrutescens</i> Species of shrub

Portulaca suffrutescens, the shrubby purslane, is a plant species native to the southwestern United States and northern and central Mexico. It has been found in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Sonora, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Durango, Querétaro and Guerrero.

<i>Oenothera gaura</i> Species of flowering plant

Oenothera gaura, formerly known as Gaura biennis, the biennial gaura or biennial beeblossom, is a North American flowering plant that can reach 6 ft (1.8 m) in height at maturity. Its upper half is made up of flowering stems, which are covered with soft, white hairs. It has light pink colored flowers, which turn a vibrant red/pink color in the late summer to early fall seasons. These colors make this plant attractive to butterflies and bees, and are in full bloom just before many fall plant species begin to bloom.

<i>Oenothera suffulta</i> Species of plant

Oenothera suffulta, known as roadside gaura, honeysuckle gaura, or kisses, is a flowering plant in the primrose family, Onagraceae. It is endemic to the United States, in Texas and southern Oklahoma.

Oenothera filiformis, the longflower beeblossom, is a species of flowering plant in the family Onagraceae. It is native to the central United States. An annual, biennial, or perennial, it can reach 12 ft (3.7 m) tall. It has simple leaves that are alternate in arrangement. Flowers have four petals that are white or pink to red in color.

<i>Oenothera simulans</i> Species of plant

Oenothera simulans, the southern beeblossom, is a species of flowering plant in the family Onagraceae. It is native to the Bahamas and the southeastern United States. An annual reaching 6 ft (1.8 m), it prefers sandy soils and is found growing in dunes, open woodlands, fields, and roadsides.

References

  1. USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Gaura coccinea". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  2. "Oenothera suffrutescens (Moc. & Sessé ex Ser.) W.L.Wagner & Hoch". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  3. Calflora Database: Oenothera suffrutescens (Wild honeysuckle, linda tarde)
  4. Jepson Manual eFlora (TJM2) treatment of Oenothera suffrutescens
  5. BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  6. 1 2 Barr, Claude A. (1983). Jewels of the plains : wild flowers of the Great Plains grasslands and hills. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. p. 88. ISBN   0-8166-1127-0.
  7. NatureServe (2023). "Gaura coccinea". NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia: NatureServe. Retrieved 6 June 2023.