Oenothera villosa

Oenothera villosa
Close-up of flower
Habit
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. villosa
Binomial name
Oenothera villosa Thunb.
[2]
O. v. subsp. strigosa O. v. subsp. villosa
Synonyms [3] [4]
List Oenothera albinervis Oenothera baurii Oenothera canovertex Oenothera canovirens Oenothera cheradophila Oenothera cockerellii Oenothera depressa Oenothera erosa Oenothera hungarica Oenothera prasina Oenothera procera Oenothera renneri Oenothera rydbergii Oenothera scandinavica Oenothera strigosa Oenothera subulifera Oenothera velutinifolia Onagra cockerellii Onagra depressa Onagra erosa Onagra hungarica Onagra lehmanniana Onagra strigosa Usoricum strigosum

Oenothera villosa, the hairy evening primrose, is a species of flowering plant in the family Onagraceae. ^[5] It is native to nearly all of the United States (except Hawaii, Alaska, Louisiana, Florida, and South Carolina), and to all Canadian provinces and the Northwest Territories. It has been introduced to cool and cold-temperate regions worldwide. ^[2] An erect biennial reaching 6 ft (1.8 m), it is typically found in open areas and disturbed situations. ^[5]

Taxonomy

Oenothera villosa was given its scientific name by Carl Peter Thunberg in 1794. It is classifed in the genus Oenothera as part of the Onagraceae family. It has two accepted subspecies: ^[2]

• Oenothera villosa subsp. strigosa(Rydb.) W.Dietr. & P.H.Raven – western and central North America, and introduced to central Europe ^[3]
• Oenothera villosa subsp. villosa – central and eastern North America, and introduced worldwide ^[4]

Oenothera villosa has 48 synonyms of its two subspecies including 24 species. ^{[3] [4]}

Table of Synonyms ^{[3] [4]}

Name	Year	Rank	Synonym of:	Notes
Oenothera albinervisR.R.Gates	1936	species	subsp. villosa	= het.
Oenothera bauriiBoedijn	1924	species	subsp. villosa	= het.
Oenothera biennis subsp. baurii(Boedijn) Tischler	1950	subspecies	subsp. villosa	= het.
Oenothera biennis var. canescensTorr. & A.Gray	1840	variety	subsp. villosa	= het.
Oenothera biennis var. strigosa(Rydb.) Cronquist	1992	variety	subsp. strigosa	≡ hom.
Oenothera canovertexHudziok	1968	species	subsp. villosa	= het.
Oenothera canovirensE.S.Steele	1911	species	subsp. villosa	= het.
Oenothera cheradophilaBartlett	1907	species	subsp. strigosa	= het.
Oenothera cockerelliiBartlett ex de Vries	1913	species	subsp. villosa	= het.
Oenothera communis proles erosa(Lehm.) H.Lév.	1909	proles	subsp. villosa	= het.
Oenothera depressaGreene	1891	species	subsp. villosa	= het.
Oenothera depressa f. angustifoliaRostański	1965	form	subsp. villosa	= het.
Oenothera depressa f. latibracteataRostański	1965	form	subsp. villosa	= het.
Oenothera erosaLehm.	1828	species	subsp. villosa	= het.
Oenothera hookeri var. parvifloraR.R.Gates	1915	variety	subsp. villosa	= het.
Oenothera hungarica(Borbás) Borbás	1903	species	subsp. villosa	= het.
Oenothera muricata var. canescens(Torr. & A.Gray) B.L.Rob.	1908	variety	subsp. villosa	= het.
Oenothera muricata f. hungarica(Borbás) Jáv.	1924	form	subsp. villosa	= het.
Oenothera parviflora var. canescens(Torr. & A.Gray) Farw.	1923	variety	subsp. villosa	= het.
Oenothera prasinaBartlett	1914	species	subsp. strigosa	= het., nom. nud.
Oenothera proceraWooton & Standl.	1913	species	subsp. strigosa	= het.
Oenothera renneriH.Scholz	1956	species	subsp. villosa	= het.
Oenothera renneri f. mollisRenner ex Rostański	1965	form	subsp. villosa	= het.
Oenothera rydbergiiHouse	1921	species	subsp. strigosa	≡ hom., nom. superfl.
Oenothera scandinavicaRostański	2007	species	subsp. villosa	= het.
Oenothera strigosa(Rydb.) Mack. & Bush	1902	species	subsp. strigosa	≡ hom.
Oenothera strigosa var. albinervis(R.R.Gates) R.R.Gates	1957	variety	subsp. villosa	= het.
Oenothera strigosa subsp. canovirens(E.S.Steele) Munz	1965	subspecies	subsp. villosa	= het.
Oenothera strigosa subsp. cheradophila(Bartlett) Munz	1965	subspecies	subsp. strigosa	= het.
Oenothera strigosa var. cheradophila(Bartlett) R.R.Gates	1957	variety	subsp. strigosa	= het.
Oenothera strigosa var. cockerellii(Bartlett ex de Vries) R.R.Gates	1957	variety	subsp. villosa	= het.
Oenothera strigosa var. depressa(Greene) R.R.Gates	1958	variety	subsp. villosa	= het.
Oenothera strigosa subsp. hungarica(Borbás) Á.Löve & D.Löve	1961	subspecies	subsp. villosa	= het.
Oenothera strigosa var. procera(Wooton & Standl.) R.R.Gates	1957	variety	subsp. strigosa	= het.
Oenothera strigosa var. subulifera(Rydb.) R.R.Gates	1957	variety	subsp. strigosa	= het.
Oenothera subulifera(Rydb.) Rydb.	1913	species	subsp. strigosa	= het.
Oenothera velutinifoliaHudziok	1968	species	subsp. villosa	= het.
Oenothera villosa subsp. cheradophila(Bartlett) W.Dietr. & P.H.Raven	1976	subspecies	subsp. strigosa	= het.
Oenothera villosa var. strigosa(Rydb.) Dorn	1988	variety	subsp. strigosa	≡ hom.
Onagra biennis var. strigosa(Rydb.) Piper	1901	variety	subsp. strigosa	≡ hom.
Onagra cockerellii(Bartlett ex de Vries) de Vries	1913	species	subsp. villosa	= het.
Onagra depressa(Greene) Small	1896	species	subsp. villosa	= het.
Onagra erosa(Lehm.) Spach	1835	species	subsp. villosa	= het.
Onagra hungaricaBorbás	1902	species	subsp. villosa	= het.
Onagra lehmannianaSpach	1835	species	subsp. villosa	= het.
Onagra strigosaRydb.	1900	species	subsp. strigosa	≡ hom.
Onagra strigosa var. subulataRydb.	1900	variety	subsp. strigosa	= het.
Usoricum strigosum(Rydb.) Lunell	1916	species	subsp. strigosa	≡ hom.
Notes: ≡ homotypic synonym  ; = heterotypic synonym

References

1. NatureServe (5 September 2025). "Oenothera villosa". NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
2. "Oenothera villosa Thunb". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 19 September 2025.
3. "Oenothera villosa subsp. strigosa (Rydb.) W.Dietr. & P.H.Raven". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 20 September 2025.
4. "Oenothera villosa subsp. villosa". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 20 September 2025.
5. Marcus, Joseph A. (20 April 2023). "Oenothera villosa". Plant Database. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Retrieved 4 December 2023.