Pink evening primrose

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Pink evening primrose
Oenothera-speciosa-flowers.jpg

Pink evening primrose ( Oenothera speciosa )

Systematics
Order : Myrtle-like (Myrtales)
Family : Evening primrose family (Onagraceae)
Subfamily : Onagroideae
Tribe : Onagreae
Genre : Evening primrose ( Oenothera )
Type : Pink evening primrose
Scientific name
Oenothera speciosa
Nutt.

The pink evening primrose ( Oenothera speciosa ), sometimes referred to as the pink carpet evening primrose , is a species of plant in the evening primrose family (Onagraceae). It is used as an ornamental plant.

description

Appearance and leaf

Oenothera speciosa grows as a perennial herbaceous plant and reaches heights of 10 to 50 centimeters. The stems are somewhat ascending to erect. It is mat-forming through rhizomes and woody underground shoot axes. The aboveground parts of the plant are hairy, hairy, some hairs can be longer.

In young plants, the ever-sitting leaves stand together in basal rosettes and later they are arranged alternately on the stem. With a length of 2.5 to 8 cm, the leaf blades are obsolete to more or less elliptical with a more or less smooth to wavy lobed leaf margin.

Radially symmetrical flower with four broad petals; The white, cross-shaped scar is clearly visible.

blossom

The flowering period extends from June to September. The flowers stand individually in the axils of the uppermost leaves, whereby the tip of the stem can be slightly nodding. The short-lived, hermaphrodite flowers have a diameter of 4 to 5 cm and are radially symmetrical and four-fold with a double flower envelope . The flower cup (hypanthium) is 1 to 2.3 cm high. The four partially fused sepals are 1.5 to 3 cm long and bent back after the flower has opened. The four free, wide petals are 2.5 to 4 cm long and initially white with pink veins and then turn pink to pink-purple as they fade. Its flowers have an intense scent and attract bees and moths . There are eight stamens with white or yellow anthers. Four carpels have become an under-earth, vierkammerigen ovary grown. The long stylus ends in a four-column scar that looks like a white cross. The flowering period in California extends from May to September. In contrast to its name and other evening primrose species, Oenothera speciosa is a day and night bloomer. It is cross-pollination necessary.

Fruit and seeds

The four-edged, quadruple, loculicidal capsule fruit is 10 to 25 mm long, thickens towards the top to a diameter of 3 to 5 mm, eight-ribbed and contains many seeds. With a length of 1 to 1.5 mm, the seeds are obliquely, lanceolate with a finely granular, papillary surface.

Chromosome set

The chromosome numbers are 2n = 14, 28, 42.

Occurrence

The natural range of Oenothera speciosa extends from the southwestern USA (states: Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas) to northern Mexico (states: Chihuahua, Coahuila). It grows on well-drained, sandy, also stony soils on roadsides, ruderal areas and on the prairie in warm, sunny locations. The pink evening primrose thrives in USDA Climate Zones 4 through 9.

Pink evening primrose ( Oenothera speciosa )
The 'Siskiyou' variety as an ornamental plant

use

The pink evening primrose is used as an ornamental plant in the temperate latitudes . However, it does not survive severe winters. It is a ground cover. With USDA climate zones 4 to 9, the pink evening primrose should be sufficiently hardy in most areas of Central Europe .

The green parts of the plant can be cooked or eaten as a salad; It is harvested before flowers develop, if possible, as this is when the taste is best.

Systematics

The first description of Oenothera speciosa was made in 1821 by Thomas Nuttall in the Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia , Volume 2, Issue 1, pp 119-120.

Oenothera speciosa belongs to the Hartmannia section in the genus Oenothera

swell

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c data sheet at Missouri Botanical Garden .
  2. ↑ a b c d e f Warren L. Wagner, Peter C. Hoch: Jepson eFlora .
  3. ↑ a b Illinois Wildflowers
  4. ↑ a b Oenothera speciosa in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), USDA , ARS , National Genetic Resources Program. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  5. ↑ a b Oenothera speciosa Nutt. at Native Plant Database from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas at Austin.
  6. ↑ First publication scanned at biodiversitylibrary.org .
  7. ↑ Oenothera speciosa at Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, accessed April 22, 2013.

Web links

Commons : Pink Evening Primrose ( Oenothera speciosa )  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files