SMALL-FLOWERED EVENING-PRIMROSE

Oenothera cambrica

Willowherb Family [Onagraceae]

month8jun month8june month8jul month8july month8aug month8sep month8sept

status
statusZneophyte
 
flower
flower8yellow
 
morph
morph8actino
 
petals
petalsZ4
 
type
typeZspiked
 
stem
stem8round
 
smell
smell8fragrant
fragrant
sex
sexZbisexual
 

15th July 2013, Crosby, Sefton Coast. Photo: © Phil Smith
Small-flowered Evening-primrose is often recognised as as a segregate; that is, it has been split off from another taxon in the Evening-primrose (Oenothera) genus, in this case from Common Evening-Primrose (Oenothera biennis). The sepals surrounding the flower buds are green and without stripes.


7th Sept 2007, dunes, Crosby, Sefton Coast. Photo: © Phil Smith
The flower petals are yellow and as long as they are wide, which is between 2cm and 3cm. The flowers themselves might be between 4 and 5cm across, that is, small for an Evening-primrose..


7th Sept 2007, dunes, Crosby, Sefton Coast. Photo: © Phil Smith


29th June 2018, Crosby Coastal Park, Sefton Coast. Photo: © Phil Smith


29th June 2018, Crosby Coastal Park, Sefton Coast. Photo: © Phil Smith
Small-flowered Evening-primrose differs from Common Evening-primrose on the green parts of the stems: they have hairs with red bulbous bases. But as can be seen, the much shorter hairs lack the red bulbous bases.


15th July 2013, Crosby, Sefton Coast. Photo: © Phil Smith
Small-flowered Evening-primrose differs from Common Evening-primrose on the green parts of the fruits (the cylindrical objects which are attached directly to the stem): they have hairs with red bulbous bases.


15th July 2013, Crosby, Sefton Coast. Photo: © Phil Smith
The lowest fruits lack glandular hairs.


Easily mistaken for : many other Evening-primroses and their hybrids and back-crosses.

Hybridizes with :

It is found near the coast in Central and Southern Britain and on the Channel Islands; if it is found inland then it has been introduced there from the coast. Reciprocal crosses and back-crosses between this and Common Evening-Primrose occur. The specimen(s) shown are thought to be Small-flowered Evening-primrose, but have not been checked by a referee.


  Oenothera cambrica  ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ Onagraceae  

Distribution
 family8Willowherb family8Onagraceae
 BSBI maps
genus8Oenothera
Oenothera
(Evening-Primroses)

SMALL-FLOWERED EVENING-PRIMROSE

Oenothera cambrica

Willowherb Family [Onagraceae]