Duration: Annual

Nativity: Native

Lifeform: Forb/Herb

General: Annual in basal rosette, nearly stemless or often developing stout leafy stems 10-20 cm; thick taproot; dense pubescence of spreading papillate-based white hairs.

Leaves: Blades 5-27 cm, larger ones 3.5-7 cm wide, mostly pinnatifid into toothed or rounded lobes, narrowed to long, winged petiole expanded at very base.

Flowers: Yellow, petals 3.5-5.5 cm, notched at apex; opening at dusk closing the following morning.

Fruits: Ovary and capsule densely hairy with spreading white hairs; capsules 2.8-4.5 cm long by 6.5-7.5 mm wide at base, thick and woody, upright, straight, 4-angled, tapering to conspicuously narrowed tip.

Ecology: Found on sand flats, playas, gravelly-sandy washes, common but not very abundant below 4,500 ft (1372 m); flowers March-May.

Distribution: s CA, NV, s UT, AZ, NM, s TX; south to c MEX.

Notes: Plants are easy to know by being annual, their caespitose, acaulescent habit, pinnatifid leaves. sepals 15-28 mm, yellow flowers and terete fruits without strong angles or wings.,

Ethnobotany: Dried flowers used for ceremonies and poultice applied to swellings.

Etymology: Oenothera is from Greek oinos, wine and thera, to imbibe, while primiveris refers to spring.

Synonyms: None

Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015

Oenothera primiveris is a lower elevation caespitose annual. The leaves are vilous and oblanceolate. The petals are yellow. Oenothera primiveris is found in dry hills and at lower elevation. It blooms very early in the season.