Dune Evening Primrose
Oenothera deltoides
Photographed by Steve Ganley in western Arizona. Feb. 2008. Growing together with sand verbena.
ANNUAL or PERENNIAL: Herbaceous annual or perennial growing well in response to heavy spring rains.
Flowering stalks generally much less than a meter
tall.
FLOWERS: Large snow-white petals fade to pink by late morning after remaining open
through the night. Usual
evening primrose formula of 4 sepals, 4 petals and 8 stamens. Blooms during hot months.
LEAVES: Before flowering, all the triangular leaves are clustered at ground level, in a rosette. They are silvery green.
RANGE: Restricted to deep sandy soil particularily on sand dunes of the western Sonoran Desert in
Arizona and Mexico. Ranges across the southwestern United States.
FRUIT: Four sided capsule with many seeds is positioned well below the
flower petals joined by a long collar, the hypanthium.
UNARMED. No spines/thorns.