List of Oenothera species

Subdivisions of the genus Oenothera in the Onagraceae (evening primrose) family:

Section Anogra
Oenothera sect. Angora (Spach) W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007 – western North America in dry, sandy soils in deserts, grasslands, and forest openings, up to 2000 m. elevation.


 * Oenothera arizonica (Munz) W.L.Wagner 1998 – California evening primrose (Arizona & Mexico)
 * Oenothera californica (S.Watson) S.Watson 1876 – California evening primrose
 * O. californica ssp. avita W.M.Klein 1962
 * O. californica ssp. californica
 * O. californica ssp. eurekensis (Munz & J.C.Roos) W.M.Klein 1962 – Eureka Dunes evening primrose
 * Oenothera deltoides Torr. & Frém. 1845 – birdcage evening primrose
 * O. deltoides ssp. ambigua (Munz) W.M.Klein 1962
 * O. deltoides ssp. cognata (Jeps.) W.M.Klein 1962
 * O. deltoides ssp. deltoides
 * O. deltoides ssp. howellii (Munz) W.M.Klein 1962 - Antioch Dunes evening primrose
 * O. deltoides ssp. piperi (Munz) W.M.Klein 1962
 * Oenothera engelmannii (Small) Munz 1931 – Engelmann's evening primrose (south-central U.S.)
 * Oenothera neomexicana (Small) Munz 1931 – New Mexico evening primrose (Arizona, New Mexico)
 * Oenothera nuttallii Sweet 1830 – Nuttall's evening primrose (central North America)
 * Oenothera pallida Lindl. 1828 – pale evening primrose, white buttercup (western North America)
 * O. pallida ssp. gypsophila (Eastw.) Munz & W.M.Klein 1965 – whitepole evening primrose
 * O. pallida ssp. pallida
 * O. pallida ssp. runcinata (Engelm.) Munz & W.M.Klein 1965
 * O. pallida ssp. trichocalyx (Nutt.) Munz & W.M.Klein 1965
 * Oenothera wigginsii W.M.Klein 1962 – (Baja California in Mexico)

Section Calylophus
Oenothera sect. Calylophus (Spach) W. L. Wagner & Hoch 2007 – in North American Great Plains and south to central Mexico.

subsect. Calylophus

 * Oenothera berlandieri (Spach) Steud. 1843 – Mexican evening primrose
 * O. berlandieri ssp. berlandieri
 * O. berlandieri ssp. pinifolia (Engelm.) W. L. Wagner & Hoch 2007
 * Oenothera serrulata Nutt. 1818 – yellow sundrops

subsect. Salpingia

 * Oenothera hartwegii Benth. 1839 – Hartweg's sundrops
 * O. hartwegii ssp. fendleri (A.Gray) W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007
 * O. hartwegii ssp. filifolia (Eastw.) W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007
 * O. hartwegii ssp. hartwegii
 * O. hartwegii ssp. maccartii (Shinners) W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007
 * O. hartwegii ssp. pubescens (A.Gray) W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007
 * Oenothera lavandulifolia Torr. & A.Gray 1840 – lavenderleaf sundrops
 * Oenothera toumeyi (A.Gray) Tidestr. 1935 – Toumey's sundrops
 * Oenothera tubicula A.Gray 1852 – Texas sundrops
 * O. tubicula ssp. strigulosa (Towner) W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007
 * O. tubicula ssp. tubicula

Section Contortae
Oenothera sect. Contortae W.L.Wagner 1987 – Sierra Nevadas of California, extending just into western Nevada.


 * Oenothera xylocarpa Coville 1893 – woodyfruit evening primrose

Section Eremia
Oenothera sect. Eremia W.L.Wagner 1986 – western North America, with a distribution in the Chihuahuan, Mojave, and Sonoran deserts.


 * Oenothera primiveris A.Gray 1853 – desert evening primrose
 * O. primiveris ssp. bufonis (M.E. Jones) Munz 1965 – large yellow desert primrose
 * O. primiveris ssp. primiveris

Section Gaura
Oenothera sect. Gaura (L.) W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007 – beeblossom (includes most of the taxa formerly placed in genus Gaura)

subsect. Campogaura

 * Oenothera boquillensis (P.H.Raven & D.P.Greg.) W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007 – Rio Grande beeblossom (Texas & Mexico)
 * Oenothera suffrutescens (Ser.) W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007 – scarlet beeblossom (western North America)

subsect. Gaura

 * Oenothera coloradensis (Rydb.) W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007 (Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico)
 * O. coloradensis ssp. coloradensis – Colorado beeblossom or butterfly plant
 * O. coloradensis ssp. neomexicana (Wooton) W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007 – New Mexico beeblossom
 * Oenothera demareei (P.H.Raven & D.P.Greg.) W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007 – Demaree's beeblossom
 * Oenothera filiformis (Small) W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007 – biennial gaura
 * Oenothera gaura W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007 – (eastern North America, from Ontario to South Carolina and Minnesota to Missouri)
 * Oenothera hexandra (Ortega) W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007
 * O. hexandra ssp. gracilis (Wooton & Standl.) W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007
 * O. hexandra ssp. hexandra
 * Oenothera lindheimeri (Engelm. & A.Gray) W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007
 * Oenothera patriciae W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007
 * Oenothera simulans (Small) W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007
 * Oenothera suffulta (Engelmann) W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007
 * O. suffulta ssp. suffulta
 * O. suffulta ssp. nealleyi (J. M. Coulter) W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007
 * Oenothera triangulata (Buckley) W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007

subsect. Gauridium

 * Oenothera anomala Curtis 1797 – anomalous Oenothera (Mexico)

subsect. Schizocarya

 * Oenothera curtiflora W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007 – lizard tail (North America)

subsect. Stenosiphon

 * Oenothera glaucifolia W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007 – false gaura (southern Great Plains of central North America)

subsect. Stipogaura

 * Oenothera calcicola (P.H.Raven & D.P.Gregory) W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007
 * Oenothera cinerea (Wooton & Standl.) W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007 – gaura-pilosa
 * O. cinerea ssp. cinerea
 * O. cinerea ssp. parksii (Munz) W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007
 * Oenothera filipes (Spach) W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007
 * Oenothera mckelveyae (Munz) W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007
 * Oenothera sinuosa W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007 – wavy-leaf gaura

subsect. Xenogaura

 * Oenothera xenogaura W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007 – (southern North America)

subsect. Xerogaura

 * Oenothera arida W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007 – (Texas, Mexico)

Section Gauropsis
Oenothera sect. Gauropsis (Torrey & Frémont) W.L.Wagner 1985 – Wyoming, western Nebraska, eastern Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas and the Texas Panhandle in the U.S. High Plains.


 * Oenothera canescens Torr. & Frém. 1845 – spotted evening primrose

Section Hartmannia
Oenothera sect. Hartmannia (Spach) W. L. Wagner & Hoch 2007 – Generally in Mexico, Arizona, and Texas. But O. speciosa extends into the U.S. Central Plains, and O. rosea extends to the Caribbean, and northern South America.


 * Oenothera deserticola (Loes.) Munz 1932 – (Mexico)
 * Oenothera platanorum P.H.Raven & D.R.Parn. 1970 – Fort Huachuca evening primrose
 * Oenothera rosea L’Hér. ex Aiton 1789 – pink evening primrose, Rose of Mexico
 * Oenothera speciosa Nutt. 1821 – showy evening primrose, Mexican primrose, amapola
 * Oenothera texensis P.H.Raven & D.R.Parn. 1970 – Texas evening primrose

Section Kleinia
Oenothera sect. Kleinia Munz 1965 – distributed over the Chihuahuan, Sonoran, and southern portions of the Great Basin deserts to the Great Plains, from southern Utah to southeastern Montana and western North Dakota, and northern Mexico.


 * Oenothera albicaulis Pursh 1813 – prairie evening-primrose
 * Oenothera coronopifolia Torr. & A.Gray 1840

Section Kneiffia
Oenothera sect. Kneiffia (Spach) Straley 1978 – eastern North America, at elevations up to 1900 m.


 * Oenothera fruticosa L. 1753 – narrow-leaved or southern sundrops (eastern North America)
 * O. fruticosa ssp. fruticosa – (more southern distribution)
 * O. fruticosa ssp. glauca (Michx.) Straley 1978 – (more northern distribution)
 * Oenothera perennis L. 1759 – little evening primrose, perennial sundrops (North America)
 * Oenothera pilosella Raf. 1820 – prairie sundrops, meadow evening primrose
 * O. pilosella ssp. pilosella – (eastern North America)
 * O. pilosella ssp. sessilis (Pennell) Straley 1978 – (AR, LA, TX)
 * Oenothera riparia Nutt. 1818 – riverbank sundrops
 * Oenothera spachiana Torr. & A.Gray 1840 – Spach's evening-primrose (Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas)

Section Lavauxia
Oenothera sect. Lavauxia (Spach) W. L. Wagner & Hoch 2007 – North and South America.

subsect. Australis

 * Oenothera acaulis Cav. 1898 − (Chile)
 * Oenothera centaurifolia (Spach) Steud. 1841 − (Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina)

subsect. Lavauxia

 * Oenothera acutissima W.L.Wagner 1981 – Flaming Gorge evening primrose (Utah, Colorado)
 * Oenothera flava (A. Nelson) Garrett 1927 – yellow evening primrose (west & central North America)
 * O. flava ssp. flava
 * O. flava ssp. taraxacoides (Woot. & Standl.) W.L.Wagner 1986
 * Oenothera triloba Nutt. 1821 – stemless evening primrose (North America)

Section Leucocoryne
Oenothera sect. Leucocoryne W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007 – from southern Texas, through northern Mexico to the Trans-Volcanic Belt of central Mexico, southward to Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.


 * Oenothera dissecta A. Gray ex S. Wats. 1885 - (Chihuahuan Desert)
 * Oenothera kunthiana Munz 1932 - (southern Texas to Costa Rica)
 * Oenothera luciae-julianiae W.L.Wagner 2004 - (Mexico)
 * Oenothera orizabae W.L.Wagner 2004 - (Mexico)
 * Oenothera tetraptera Cav. 1796 - (Mexico, southern Texas)

Section Megapterium
Oenothera sect. Megapterium (Spach) W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007 – distributed in south-central North America.


 * Oenothera brachycarpa A.Gray 1852 – short-fruit evening primrose (Arizona, Kansas, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas)
 * Oenothera howardii (A. Nelson) W.L.Wagner 1983 – Howard's evening primrose (Colorado, Kansas, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming)
 * Oenothera macrocarpa Nutt. 1813 – Missouri or big-fruit evening primrose
 * O. macrocarpa ssp. fremontii (S.Watson) W.L.Wagner 1983 – Fremont's evening primrose (Kansas, Nebraska)
 * O. macrocarpa ssp. incana (A.Gray) W.L.Wagner 1983 – big-fruit evening primrose (Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas)
 * O. macrocarpa ssp. macrocarpa – big-fruit evening primrose (Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Colorado, Tennessee, Texas)
 * O. macrocarpa ssp. mexicana W.L.Wagner 2007 – (Mexico)
 * O. macrocarpa ssp. oklahomensis (J.B.S.Norton) W.L.Wagner 1983 – Oklahoma evening primrose (Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas)

Section Oenothera
Oenothera sect. Oenothera – distributed from Canada to Panama.

subsect. Candela

 * Oenothera clelandii W.Dietr. P.H. Raven & W.L.Wagner 1983 – Cleland's evening primrose
 * Oenothera curtissii Small 1913 – Curtiss' evening primrose (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina)
 * Oenothera heterophylla Spach 1836 – variable-leaf evening primrose
 * O. heterophylla ssp. heterophylla – (Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Texas)
 * O. heterophylla ssp. orientalis W.Dietr., P.H.Raven & W.L.Wagner 1983 – (AL, Arkansas)
 * Oenothera rhombipetala Nutt. ex Torr. & A.Gray 1840

subsect. Emersonia

 * Oenothera macrosceles A.Gray 1849 – (Chihuahuan Desert)
 * Oenothera maysillesii Munz 1960 – (Durango)
 * Oenothera organensis Munz 1938 – (New Mexico)
 * Oenothera stubbei W.Dietr., P.H.Raven & W.L.Wagner 1978 – (Nuevo León)

subsect. Munzia
&ensp;series Allochroa


 * Oenothera affinis Cambess. 1829 – (Bolivia, Brazil, Chile)
 * Oenothera arequipensis Munz & I M.Johnst. 1925 – (Chile)
 * Oenothera bahia-blancae W.Dietr. 1978 – (Argentina)
 * Oenothera catharinensis Cambess. 1829 – (Brazil)
 * Oenothera coquimbensis Gay 1847 – (Chile)
 * Oenothera featherstonei Munz & I.M.Johnst. 1925 – (Peru)
 * Oenothera indecora Cambess. 1830
 * O. indecora ssp. boliviensis W.Dietr. 1978
 * O. indecora ssp. bonariensis W.Dietr. 1978
 * O. indecora ssp. indecora
 * Oenothera mendocinensis Gillies ex Hook. & Arn. 1833 – (Argentina)
 * Oenothera mollissima L. 1753 – (Brazil)
 * Oenothera montevidensis W.Dietr. 1978 – (Uruguay)
 * Oenothera odorata Jacq. 1795 – (Argentina, Chile)
 * Oenothera parodiana Munz 1933
 * O. parodiana ssp. brasiliensis W.Dietr. 1978 – (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay)
 * O. parodiana ssp. parodiana – (Argentina)
 * O. parodiana ssp. strigulosa W.Dietr. 1978 – (Argentina)
 * Oenothera picensis Phil. 1891
 * O. picensis ssp. bonariensis W.Dietr. 1978 – (Argentina)
 * O. picensis ssp. cordobensis W.Dietr. 1978 – (Argentina)
 * O. picensis ssp. picensis – (Chile)
 * Oenothera ravenii W.Dietr. 1978 – (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay)
 * O. ravenii ssp. argentinae W.Dietr. 1978 – (Argentina, Brazil)
 * O. ravenii ssp. chilensis W.Dietr. 1978 – (Chile)
 * O. ravenii ssp. ravenii – (Brazil)
 * Oenothera stricta Ledeb. ex Link 1821
 * O. stricta ssp. altissima W.Dietr. 1978 – (Argentina)
 * O. stricta ssp. argentinae W.Dietr. 1978 – (Argentina)
 * O. stricta ssp. stricta – (Chile)

&ensp;series Clelandia


 * Oenothera elongata Rusby 1893 – (Bolivia, Peru)
 * Oenothera punae Kuntze 1898 – (Bolivia)
 * Oenothera siambonensis W.Dietr. 1978 – (Argentina)
 * Oenothera villaricae W.Dietr. 1978 – (Argentina, Chile)

&ensp;series Renneria


 * Oenothera longituba W.Dietr. 1978 – (Argentina)
 * Oenothera nana Griseb. 1874 – (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Peru)
 * Oenothera pedunculifolia W.Dietr. 1978 – (Argentina)
 * Oenothera peruana W.Dietr. 1978 – (Chile, Peru)
 * Oenothera sandiana Hassk. 1856 – (Chile, Ecuador)
 * Oenothera santarii W.Dietr. 1978 – (Argentina)
 * Oenothera scabra K.Krause 1905
 * O. scabra ssp. scabra – (Bolivia, Peru)
 * O. scabra ssp. ucrosensis W.Dietr. 1978 – (Peru)
 * Oenothera tafiensis W.Dietr. 1978
 * O. tafiensis ssp. parviflora W.Dietr. 1978 – (Argentina)
 * O. tafiensis ssp. tafiensis – (Argentina)
 * Oenothera tarijensis W.Dietr. 1978 – (Bolivia)
 * Oenothera versicolor Lehm. 1855 – (Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru)

subsect. Nutantigemma

 * Oenothera breedlovei W.Dietr. & W.L.Wagner 1987 - (Mexico)
 * Oenothera pennellii Munz 1939 - (Mexico)
 * Oenothera pubescens Willd. ex Spreng. 1825 – South American evening primrose (southwestern U.S to western South America)
 * Oenothera tamrae W.Dietr. & W.L.Wagner 1987 - (Mexico)

subsect. Oenothera

 * Oenothera argillicola Mack. 1904 – shale-barren evening primrose (MD, PA, VA, WV)
 * Oenothera biennis L. 1753 – common evening primrose (North America)
 * Oenothera elata Kunth 1823 – Hooker's evening primrose (western North America)
 * O. elata ssp. elata – (Mexico, Central America)
 * O. elata ssp. hirsutissima (A.Gray ex S.Watson) W.Dietr. 1983 – (western U.S.)
 * O. elata ssp. hookeri (Torr. & A.Gray) W.Dietr. & W.L.Wagner 1987
 * O. elata ssp. texensis W.Dietr. & W.L.Wagner 1987 – (Texas)
 * Oenothera glazioviana Micheli 1875 – red-sepal evening primrose (North America)
 * Oenothera grandiflora L’Hér. 1789 – large-flower evening primrose (eastern North America)
 * Oenothera jamesii Torr. & A.Gray 1840 – trumpet evening primrose (Mexico, KS, OK, TX)
 * Oenothera longissima Rydb. 1913 – long-stem evening primrose (southwestern North America)
 * Oenothera nutans G.F.Atk. & Bartlett 1913 – nodding evening primrose (eastern North America)
 * Oenothera oakesiana (A.Gray) J.W.Robbins ex S.Watson 1890 – Oakes' evening primrose (eastern North America)
 * Oenothera parviflora L. – northern evening primrose (North America)
 * Oenothera villosa Thunb. 1794 – hairy evening primrose (North America)
 * O. villosa ssp. strigosa (Rydb.) W. Dietr. & P.H. Raven 1977
 * O. villosa ssp. villosa
 * Oenothera wolfii (Munz) P.H.Raven W.Dietr. & Stubbe 1980 – Wolf's evening primrose (California)

subsect. Raimannia

 * Oenothera drummondii Hook. 1834 – beach evening primrose
 * O. drummondii ssp. drummondii – (Atlantic coast, North Carolina to Mexico)
 * O. drummondii ssp. thalassaphila (Brandegee) W.Dietr. & W.L.Wagner 1987 – (southern Baja California coast)
 * Oenothera falfurriae W.Dietr. & W.L.Wagner 1987 – royal evening primrose (southeastern Texas)
 * Oenothera grandis (Britton) Smyth 1899 – showy evening primrose (U.S. & Mexico)
 * Oenothera humifusa Nutt. 1818 – sea-beach evening primrose (southeast U.S.)
 * Oenothera laciniata Hill 1767 – cutleaf evening primrose (North & South America)
 * O. laciniata ssp. laciniata
 * O. laciniata ssp. pubescens (Willd. ex Spreng.) Munz 1965 – (Ecuador)
 * Oenothera mexicana Spach 1835 – Mexican evening primrose (southeastern Texas)

Section Pachylophus
Oenothera sect. Pachylophus (Spach) W.L.Wagner 2005 – western North America.
 * Oenothera brandegeei (Munz) P.H.Raven 1970 – (near Bahia de los Angeles)
 * Oenothera cavernae Munz 1941 – cave-dwelling evening primrose (AZ, NV, UT)
 * Oenothera cespitosa Nutt.1813
 * O. cespitosa ssp. cespitosa – tufted evening primrose (western North America)
 * O. cespitosa ssp. crinita (Rydb.) Munz 1965 – tufted evening primrose (southwest North America)
 * O. cespitosa ssp. macroglottis (Rydb.) W.L.Wagner, Stockh. & W.M.Klein 1983 – tufted evening primrose (CO, NM, UT, WY)
 * O. cespitosa ssp. marginata (Nutt. ex Hook. & Arn.) Munz 1965 – tufted evening primrose
 * O. cespitosa ssp. navajoensis W.L.Wagner, Stockh, & W.M.Klein 1985 – Navajo evening primrose (AZ, NM, NV, UT)
 * Oenothera harringtonii W.L.Wagner, Stockh. & W.M.Klein 1983 – Colorado Springs evening primrose (Colorado)
 * Oenothera psammophila (A.Nels. & J.F.Macbr.) W.L.Wagner, Stockh. & W.M.Klein 1985 – St. Anthony Dunes evening primrose (Idaho)

Section Paradoxus
Oenothera sect. Paradoxus W. L. Wagner 1984 – distribution within the Chihuahuan Desert.


 * Oenothera havardii S.Watson 1885 − Havard's evening primrose (Arizona, Texas)

Section Peniophyllum
Oenothera sect. Peniophyllum (Pennell) Munz 1937 – The single species is found in the southeastern U.S.
 * Oenothera linifolia Nutt. 1821 – thread-leaf evening primrose

Section Ravenia
Oenothera sect. Ravenia W.L.Wagner 1986 – within Mexico.


 * Oenothera muelleri Munz 1937 – (northeast Mexico)
 * Oenothera riskindii W.L.Wagner 2005 – (Coahuila)
 * Oenothera tubifera Ser. 1828
 * O. tubifera ssp. macrocarpa W.L.Wagner 2005 – (Durango)
 * O. tubifera ssp. tubifera

Section Xanthocoryne
Oenothera sect. Xanthocoryne W.L.Wagner & Hoch 2007 – from central Mexico to northern South America.


 * Oenothera epilobiifolia Kunth 1823 – (Colombia, Mexico)
 * O. epilobiifolia ssp. cuprea (Schlecht.) P.H.Raven & D.R.Parn. 1970
 * O. epilobiifolia ssp. epilobiifolia – (Venezuela)
 * Oenothera multicaulis Ruíz & Pav. 1802 – (South America)
 * Oenothera seifrizii Munz 1937 – (Colombia, Venezuela)