familyOnagraceae
subfamilyOnagraceae subfam. Onagroideae
genusOenothera
sectionOenothera sect. Anogra
speciesOenothera avita
subspeciesOenothera avita subsp. californica
Oenothera avita subsp. californica
Harvard Pap. Bot. 27: 185. 2022.
Basionym: Oenothera albicaulis var. californica S. Watson Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 8: 582. 1872
Synonyms: Anogra californica (S. Watson) Small Oenothera albicaulis var. melanosperma H. Léveillé O. californica var. glabrata Munz O. pallida var. californica (S. Watson) Jepson
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 10.
Herbs perennial, densely strigillose and villous, sometimes glabrous; from a taproot, lateral roots producing adventitious shoots. Stems ascending to decumbent, unbranched or branched, new rosettes not forming at branch apex, 10–40 cm. Leaves: blade oblong to oblanceolate to spatulate, margins usually entire or weakly dentate, sometimes more conspicuously dentate to pinnatifid. Flowers: floral tube 20–40 mm; sepals 15–25 mm; petals 15–30 mm. Capsules 30–55 mm. 2n = 28.
Phenology: Flowering Apr–Jul(–Sep).
Habitat: Sandy or gravelly areas, open, coastal-sage scrub, chaparral, oak woodlands.
Elevation: 90–2000 m.
Distribution
Calif., Mexico (Baja California).
Discussion
Subspecies californica occurs in southwestern California from San Luis Obispo County south and into the Little San Bernardino Mountains to northern Baja California (Sierra de San Pedro Mártir).
Selected References
None.
Lower Taxa
None.