[Illustration: Oenothera primiveris
O. brevipes
O. deltoides
O. cardiophylla]
Common names: EVENING-PRIMROSE, SUNDROP
Arizona and California deserts: (_Oenothera brevipes_). Yellow.
March-May.
Texas-New Mexico deserts: (_Oenothera primiveris_). Yellow. March-May.
Evening-primrose family. Size: Usually low, but some up to 5 feet.
Among the commonest but most beautiful and delicate of the flowering
plants of the desert are the Evening-primroses. Flowers are usually
large, with the four petals either white or yellow, turning to red or
pink with age. Many species are low-growing herbs with large, delicate
petals; while others may be shrub-like, sometimes attaining a height of
5 feet. As the name implies, the flowers open in the evening and wilt
soon after sunrise.
In the low, warmer sections of the desert, plants in blossom may be
found as early as February.