Oenothera gaura

Oenothera gaura
Flowering gaura at the James Woodworth Prairie Preserve
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Onagraceae
Genus: Oenothera
Species:
O. gaura
Binomial name
Oenothera gaura
W.L.Wagner & Hoch
Synonyms[1]
  • Gaura biennis L.
  • Gaura pitcheri Small
  • Gaura pitcheri Pickering ex Torr. & A.Gray

Oenothera gaura, formerly known as Gaura biennis, the biennial gaura or biennial beeblossom, is a North American flowering plant that can reach 6 ft (1.8 m) in height at maturity. Its upper half is made up of flowering stems, which are covered with soft, white hairs. It has light pink colored flowers, which turn a vibrant red/pink color in the late summer to early fall seasons (typically August to September). These colors make this plant attractive to butterflies and bees, and are in full bloom just before many fall plant species begin to bloom.[2][3]

Research has been done in order to test the hybridization between different species of the section Oenothera sect. Gaura and to describe why many members of this group are so similar morphologically. According to Carr et al., readily crossbreeds with Gaura longiflora (now called Oenothera filiformis), and showed it is a direct derivative from G. longiflora, but the specialized feature of permanent translocation heterozygosity set Oenothera gaura apart as a unique genetic system amongst the genus.[4]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference powo was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Hilty, J. (2014). "Biennial Gaura". www.illinoiswildflowers.info.
  3. ^ Roger, Phillips (2002). The Botanical Garden: Volume II: Perennials and Annuals. Rix, Martyn. Willowdale, Ont.: Firefly Books. p. 156. ISBN 1552975924. OCLC 48803979.
  4. ^ Carr, Bruce L.; Gregory, David P.; Raven, Peter H.; Tai, William (1986). "Experimental Hybridization and Chromosomal Diversity within Gaura sect. Gaura (Onagraceae)". Systematic Botany. 11 (1): 98–111. doi:10.2307/2418949. JSTOR 2418949.