''Oenothera macrocarpa'' (

syn. The Botanical and Zoological Codes of nomenclature treat the concept of synonymy differently. * In botanical nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that applies to a taxon that (now) goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnae ...

''Oenothera missouriensis''), the bigfruit evening primrose, Ozark sundrops, Missouri evening primrose, or Missouri primrose, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

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 evening primrose

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

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 Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

and the south-central

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, where it is found in

calcareous Calcareous () is an adjective meaning "mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate", in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines. In zoology ''Calcareous'' is used as an adje ...

prairies and limestone

outcrop An outcrop or rocky outcrop is a visible exposure of bedrock or ancient superficial deposits on the surface of the Earth. Features Outcrops do not cover the majority of the Earth's land surface because in most places the bedrock or superficial ...

s.Shinners and Mahler's Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas Online
/ref>

Description

This

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of t ...

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

produces a red

stem Stem or STEM may refer to: Plant structures * Plant stem, a plant's aboveground axis, made of vascular tissue, off which leaves and flowers hang * Stipe (botany), a stalk to support some other structure * Stipe (mycology), the stem of a mushro ...

up to in height. The plant can sprawl along the ground up to . Leaves are long and narrow, about long by across, and are densely crowded in an alternate arrangement along the stem. They have either smooth margins or broadly spaced teeth and are hairy. The large flowers, up to across, are cup shaped with four petals, canary yellow, and have a mild fragrance. They are produced in great numbers from early to mid summer. The flowers last for one day, opening in the evening and closing the following morning. The seed pods are 4-winged and long.

Taxonomy

There are five commonly accepted

varieties Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

. These are: *''O.'' ''macrocarpa'' var. ''fremontii'' - restricted to

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...

and southern

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...

*''O.'' ''macrocarpa'' var. ''incana'' - southern Kansas, western

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 ...

and northern

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 ...

*''O.'' ''macrocarpa'' var. ''macrocarpa'' - the most widespread; Texas to the

Ozark Mountains The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and the extreme southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover a significant portio ...

, with disjunct populations in Tennessee's

Nashville Basin The Nashville Basin, also known as the Central Basin, is a term often used to describe the area surrounding Murfreesboro, Tennessee, in which Nashville is located. The Central Basin was caused by an uplifting which produced a dome known as the N ...

*''O.'' ''macrocarpa'' var. ''mexicana'' - known only from

Coahuila Coahuila (), formally Coahuila de Zaragoza (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Coahuila de Zaragoza ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza), is one of the 32 states of Mexico. Coahuila borders the Mexican states of N ...

, Mexico *''O.'' ''macrocarpa'' var. ''oklahomensis'' - southern Kansas, Oklahoma and northern Texas Oenothera macrocarpa RB1.JPG, ''O. m.'' subsp. ''macrocarpa'' Oenothera macrocarpa kz01.jpg, ''O. m.'' subsp. ''incana'' Oenothera macrocarpa fremontii kz2.jpg, ''O. m.'' subsp. ''fremontii'' 2016.08.11 15.04.21 DSC05575 - Flickr - andrey zharkikh.jpg, Fruit

Etymology

The genus name ''Oenothera'' is from the Greek for "wine-scented". The specific epithet ''macrocarpa'' is also from the Greek, meaning "large fruited".

Distribution and habitat

''Oenothera macrocarpa'' is native to Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and northeast Mexico. Habitats include limestone outcrops, glades, bluffs, rocky prairies, quarries, and roadsides.

Ecology

The flowers are pollinated by night-flying moths, such as sphinx moths (''

Sphingidae The Sphingidae are a family of moths (Lepidoptera) called sphinx moths, also colloquially known as hawk moths, with many of their caterpillars known as “hornworms”; it includes about 1,450 species. It is best represented in the tropics, bu ...

'').

Uses

The seed pods are often used in

flower arrangements Floral design or flower arrangement is the art of using plant materials and flowers to create an eye-catching and balanced composition or display. Evidence of refined floristry is found as far back as the culture of ancient Egypt. Professionally ...

. This plant is also grown in gardens for its flowers.Missouri Botanical Garden
/ref> It is suitable as a groundcover in poor, stony soil which does not become waterlogged in winter, in full sun. It has gained the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q9373395

macrocarpa ''Hesperocyparis macrocarpa'' is a coniferous tree. It is commonly known as the Monterey cypress and is one of several species of cypress trees endemic to California. The Monterey cypress is found naturally only on the Central Coast of Califo ...

Night-blooming plants Flora of the North-Central United States Flora of the South-Central United States Flora of Mexico Flora of the United States Ozarks