Oenothera elata

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]

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

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. hirsutissima A.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 corymbosa Sims	1818	species	subsp. hirsutissima	= het., nom. illeg.
Oenothera elata var. hirsutissima (A.Gray) Cronquist	1997	variety	subsp. hirsutissima	≡ hom.
Oenothera elata subsp. texensis W.Dietr. & W.L.Wagner	1987	subspecies	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera franciscana Bartlett	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 hewettii Cockerell	1919	species	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera hirsutissima (A.Gray ex S.Watson) de Vries	1901	species	subsp. hirsutissima	≡ hom.
Oenothera hookeri Torr. & A.Gray	1840	species	subsp. hookeri	≡ hom.
Oenothera hookeri subsp. angustifolia (R.R.Gates) Munz	1949	subspecies	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera hookeri var. angustifolia R.R.Gates	1915	variety	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera hookeri subsp. euhookeri Munz	1949	subspecies	subsp. hookeri	≡ hom., not validly publ.
Oenothera hookeri var. euhookeri Munz	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. hewettii Cockerell	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. montereyensis Munz	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. semiglabra R.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 irrigua Wooton & Standl.	1913	species	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera jepsonii Greene	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 salicifolia Desf. ex Lehm.	1824	species	subsp. elata	= het., nom. illeg.
Oenothera simsiana Ser.	1828	species	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera spectabilis Spach	1835	species	subsp. hirsutissima	= het., nom. illeg.
Oenothera venusta Bartlett	1914	species	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Oenothera venusta var. grisea Bartlett	1914	variety	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Onagra elata (Kunth) Bartl.	1838	species	O. elata	≡ hom.
Onagra guttata Greene ex R.R.Gates	1915	species	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Onagra hookeri (Torr. & A.Gray) Small	1896	species	subsp. hookeri	≡ hom.
Onagra kunthiana Spach	1835	species	subsp. elata	= het.
Onagra macbrideae A.Nelson	1911	species	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Onagra ornata A.Nelson	1911	species	subsp. hirsutissima	= het.
Onagra salicifolia Spach	1835	species	subsp. elata	= het.
Onagra spectabilis Spach	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