Oenothera deltoides
| Oenothera deltoides | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Onagraceae |
| Genus: | Oenothera |
| Species: | O. deltoides
|
| Binomial name | |
| Oenothera deltoides | |
| Subspecies[2] | |
| |
Oenothera deltoides is a species of evening primrose known by several common names, including birdcage evening primrose, basket evening primrose, lion in a cage, and devil's lantern. It is native to the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it grows in sandy habitats from desert to beach.
The plant is grayish with basal, deltoid leaves. The large white flowers turn pinkish as they mature. When the plants die, the stems curl upward and form the "birdcage" for which the common name is derived.
Taxonomy
Oenothera deltoides was scientifically describe and named by John Torrey and John C. Frémont in 1845. It is part of the genus Oenothera in the family Onagraceae.[2]
According to Plants of the World Online (POWO) it has six subspecies.[2] One of these, the Antioch Dunes Evening Primrose (ssp. howellii), is a federally listed endangered species known from a few sandy spots in the Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge just inland from the San Francisco Bay Area in California.[3]
Oenothera caespitosa is very similar, but lacks stems and has slightly larger flowers.[4]
Oenothera deltoides has 17 synonyms of the species or one of its subspecies according to POWO.[2][5][6][7][8][9]
| Name | Year | Rank | Synonym of: | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anogra deltoidea (Torr. & Frém.) Small | 1896 | species | O. deltoides | ≡ hom. |
| Anogra simplex Small | 1896 | species | subsp. ambigua | ≡ hom. |
| Oenothera albicaulis var. decumbens S.Watson | 1875 | variety | subsp. ambigua | = het. |
| Oenothera ambigua S.Watson | 1879 | species | subsp. ambigua | ≡ hom., nom. illeg. |
| Oenothera deltoides var. ambigua Munz | 1931 | variety | subsp. ambigua | ≡ hom. |
| Oenothera deltoides var. cineracea (Jeps.) Munz | 1931 | variety | subsp. deltoides | = het. |
| Oenothera deltoides var. cognata (Jeps.) Munz | 1931 | variety | subsp. cognata | ≡ hom. |
| Oenothera deltoides var. decumbens (S.Watson) Munz | 1932 | variety | subsp. ambigua | = het. |
| Oenothera deltoides f. floccosa Munz | 1931 | form | subsp. deltoides | = het. |
| Oenothera deltoides f. glabrata Munz | 1931 | form | subsp. deltoides | = het. |
| Oenothera deltoides var. howellii Munz | 1949 | variety | subsp. howellii | ≡ hom. |
| Oenothera deltoides var. piperi Munz | 1931 | variety | subsp. piperi | ≡ hom. |
| Oenothera deltoides var. typica Munz | 1931 | variety | O. deltoides | ≡ hom., not validly publ. |
| Oenothera kleinii W.L.Wagner & S.W.Mill | 1984 | species | subsp. deltoides | = het. |
| Oenothera simplex (Small) Tidestr. | 1935 | species | subsp. ambigua | ≡ hom., nom. illeg. |
| Oenothera trichocalyx var. cineracea Jeps. | 1925 | variety | subsp. deltoides | = het. |
| Oenothera trichocalyx var. cognata Jeps. | 1925 | variety | subsp. cognata | ≡ hom. |
| Notes: ≡ homotypic synonym; = heterotypic synonym | ||||
References
- ^ NatureServe (1 August 2025). "Oenothera deltoides". NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Oenothera deltoides Torr. & Frém". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
- ^ Center for Plant Conservation: Oenothera deltoides ssp. howellii
- ^ Taylor, Ronald J. (1994) [1992]. Sagebrush Country: A Wildflower Sanctuary (rev. ed.). Missoula, MT: Mountain Press Pub. Co. p. 46. ISBN 0-87842-280-3. OCLC 25708726.
- ^ "Oenothera deltoides subsp. ambigua (Munz) W.M.Klein". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
- ^ "Oenothera deltoides subsp. cognata (Jeps.) W.M.Klein". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
- ^ "Oenothera deltoides subsp. deltoides". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
- ^ "Oenothera deltoides subsp. howellii (Munz) W.M.Klein". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
- ^ "Oenothera deltoides subsp. piperi (Munz) W.M.Klein". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
- Roadside plants of Southern California. Thomas J. Belzer. Mountain Press Publishing Company, 1984.