''Oenothera suffulta'', known as roadside gaura, honeysuckle gaura, or kisses, is a

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

in the primrose family,

Onagraceae The Onagraceae are a family of flowering plants known as the willowherb family or evening primrose family. They include about 650 species of herbs, shrubs, and trees endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to the United States, in

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

(excluding the

Trans-Pecos The Trans-Pecos, as originally defined in 1887 by the Texas geologist Robert T. Hill, is the portion of Texas that lies west of the Pecos River. The term is considered synonymous with Far West Texas, a subdivision of West Texas. The Trans-Peco ...

) and southern

Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...

Taxonomy

Roadside gaura was first formally named in 1850 as ''Gaura suffulta''. It was transferred to the

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

Oenothera ''Oenothera'' is a genus of about 145 species of herbaceous flowering plants native to the Americas. It is the type genus of the family Onagraceae. Common names include evening primrose, suncups, and sundrops. They are not closely related to ...

'' in 2007. It is most closely related to ''

Oenothera patriciae ''Oenothera'' is a genus of about 145 species of herbaceous flowering plants native to the Americas. It is the type genus of the family Onagraceae. Common names include evening primrose, suncups, and sundrops. They are not closely related to ...

'' and ''

Oenothera triangulata ''Oenothera'' is a genus of about 145 species of herbaceous flowering plants native to the Americas. It is the type genus of the family Onagraceae. Common names include evening primrose, suncups, and sundrops. They are not closely related to ...

''.

Description

''Oenothera suffulta'' is an annual herb, of open, sandy places. It grows up to tall. The basal leaves form a rosette; each leaf is up to long and across. The stem leaves (cauline leaves) are alternate, simple, and range from long, with smooth, wavy, or toothed edges. The lower leaf surface is softly, velvety hairy. Roadside gaura flowers from April to June. Each plant produces a spike of closely packed flowers; several flowers open each day, around sunset. The flowers are relatively scentless. The flower has four long, white petals, each petal long and narrowed at the base. The fruit is a woody, indehiscent capsule with broad wings on the angles.

References

{{Taxonbar, from1=Q17602157, from2=Q15334237 suffulta Flora of Oklahoma Flora of Texas Flora without expected TNC conservation status