A N F Keys
ONAGRACEAE
EVENING
PRIMROSE FAMILY
1 Sepals and petals 5(−6); stamens 10(−12); hypanthium absent; capsule ± indehiscent, narrowly funnel-shaped to cylindric, 15−35 × 4−5.5 mm, with 5 persistent sepals, top truncate with 5 U-shaped hairy ridges; aquatic perennial often with floating shoots .. Ludwigia peploides subsp. peploides [pics]
1' Sepals and petals 4; stamens 8; hypanthium typically present; capsule dehiscent
2 Stigmas strongly 4-lobed to club-shaped
3 Anthers versatile, stamens ± monomorphic .. Oenothera
3' Anthers basifixed, stamens most often dimorphic
4 Sepals erect, always separate; seed with tuft of silky hairs on end .. Epilobium
4' Sepals reflexed, often remaining partially connected; seed lacking tuft of silky hairs .. Clarkia
2' Stigmas spheroidal to hemispheric
5 Petals white; stamens monomorphic, with white filaments and cream-colored anthers (flushed rosy red)
6 Flowers open for pollination (chasmogamous); sepals 7.5−9 mm long and petals (3−)6.5−8.5 mm long; hemispheric stigma weakly 4-lobed forming cup; stems with pimplelike bumps .. Eremothera boothii subsp. decorticans [pics]
6' Flowers never opening (cleistogamous); sepals, petals (unopened perianth) to ca. 2 mm long; stigma small and touching anther .. Epilobium campestre
5' Petals and stamens yellow, petals sometimes spotted with orange or reddish and fading reddish; stamens dimorphic in 2 series; stigmas conspicuously capitate
7 Stems wandlike and photosynthetic; leaves pinnately lobed; hypanthium with lobed disc; pedicel present beneath straight, reflexed fruit .. Eulobus californicus [pics]
7' Stems not wandlike and frequently aging peeling in lustrous tan to brownish strips; hypanthium not lobed; fruits sessile, ascending, spreading or twisted to coiled
8 Plants wispy with only linear to narrowly lanceolate cauline leaves 4−15(−35) × 1−3 mm; flowers formed only in canopy; seeds 0.5−0.9 × 0.25−0.3 mm .. Camissonia strigulosa [pics]
8' Plants leafy with basal and cauline leaves; flowers formed within basal rosette and on ascending or radiating shoots; seeds typically > 0.9 × 0.5 mm .. Camissoniopsis
Camissoniopsis W. L. Wagner & Hoch
SUN CUP
1 Perennial often ± woody at base with prostrate branches and silvery white foliage, growing on coastal sand dunes
2 Petals 10−20 mm long; styles 12−23 mm long .. Camissoniopsis cheiranthifolia subsp. suffruticosa [pics]
2' Petals 6−11 mm long; styles 6−9 mm long ......Camissoniopsis cheiranthifolia subsp. cheiranthifolia
1' Annuals; foliage green or somewhat grayish (when densely hairy) and often reddish on margins and at tip
3 Shoots and inflorescences lacking glandular hairs, blades mostly villous to short-strigose; flowers 14−22 mm across; hypanthium 2−4(−7.5) mm long; petals (4.2−)6.5−11.5(−15) mm long; ovary villous; stigma positioned well above anthers; capsules straight or twisted to sigmoidal or sometimes coiled 1 time (rarely perennial but not woody at base .. Camissoniopsis bistorta [pics]
3' Shoots or inflorescences with some type of glandular hairs; flowers typically 4−12 mm across with petals to 5.5 mm long (C. ignota flowers to 18 mm across with petals to 8 mm long); hypanthium 0.8−2.5 mm long; ovary with various types of hairs and mostly having some glandular hairs; stigma generally positioned among anthers (if longer, petals < 4 mm long); capsules bent, flexuous, sigmoidal, or coiled 1−several times
4 Plant generally spreading with decumbent basal branches and sometimes an erect main shoot from basal rosette; hypanthium and ovary villous; capsule valves 1.8−2.2 mm wide at base .. Camissoniopsis lewisii
4' Plant with basal branches spreading and decumbent or ascending and with main stem erect or absent; capsule valves generally < 1.8 mm wide at base
5 Blades lanceolate to elliptic; sepals < 2.5 mm long; capsule valves generally > 1 mm wide at base
6 Plant generally with erect main shoot and 1+ ascending branches; petals generally with 1 or 2 reddish dots at base of petals .. Camissoniopsis intermedia
6' Plant generally spreading with decumbent basal branches; petals generally lacking reddish dots at base of petals .. Camissoniopsis micrantha [pics]
5' Sepals > 2.5 mm long; mature capsule valves generally < 1 mm wide at base
7 Blades of cauline leaves narrowly ovate; hypanthium and ovary conspicuously glandular-pubescent; petals often notched or jagged; capsules bent to sigmoidal or coiled 1−2 times .. Camissoniopsis hirtella
7' Blades of cauline leaves elliptic or oblong to lanceolate, mostly strigose to short-strigose; hypanthium and ovary sparsely hirsute (hirtellous) and sometimes minutely glandular-pubescent; petals not notched or jagged; capsules flexuous to sigmoidal or coiled up to 5 times .. Camissoniopsis ignota
Clarkia Pursh
CLARKIA, GODETIA
1 Hypanthium 0.5−1.5 mm long; petals white to pale cream-colored fading rose; flower buds pendent .. Clarkia epilobioides [pics]
1' Hypanthium 1.8+ mm long; petals light to dark purple, wine red, reddish purple, or lavender above midpoint if white at base, often with darker flecks or basal spot
2 In bud, hypanthium, sepals, and ovary pilose, some hairs purple; petals conspicuously clawed; capsule valves with pilose hairs and dried glandular hairs .. Clarkia unguiculata [pics]
2' In bud, hypanthium, sepals, and ovary puberulent to short-strigose; petals fan-shaped but not clawed; capsule valves often short-strigose, never pilose or glandular-hairy
3 Inflorescence axis and flower buds both erect; stigma lobes deep purple (rarely whitish with purple margins)
4 Sepals 6−9 × 2 mm; petals 5.5−15 × 4−10 mm, light to deep purple with darker basal spot or wine-red without basal spot; filaments of long stamens 2.5−3.3 mm long; stigma lobes ± 1 mm long; capsule 16−21 × ± 2.3 mm .. Clarkia purpurea subsp. quadrivulnera [pics]
4' Sepals 15−18 × 3−4 mm; petals 15.5−27 × 14−24 mm, light purple with darker basal spot; filaments of long stamens 6−7 mm long; stigma lobes 1.5−2 mm long; capsule 24−33 × ± 3.3 mm .. Clarkia purpurea subsp. viminea [pics]
3' Either flower buds or flower buds and inflorescence axis nodding; stigma lobes not deep purple
5 Inflorescence axis erect; sepals 2.5−3 mm wide; petals appearing reddish purple but white to purplish pink below midpoint, lacking dark basal spot; filaments of long stamens 6−8 mm long; stigma lobes 0.6−1 mm long, light purple .. Clarkia bottae [pics]
5' Inflorescence axis nodding; sepals 2−2.5 mm wide; petals appearing light purple with a dark purple basal spot (rarely absent); filaments of long stamens 4−6 mm long; stigma lobes 1.2−1.8 mm long, pale yellow (pale purple) .. Clarkia cylindrica subsp. cylindrica [pics]
Epilobium L.
FIREWEED, WILLOW HERB
1 Vegetative shoots pilose to villous and also glandular-hairy; flowers red; hypanthium > 13 mm long, covered with radiating glandular hairs, bulbous and nectar-producing at base
2 Subshrubs to shrubs with grayish green or green foliage; blades with glandular hairs mostly near base; hypanthium 14−26(−34) mm long; petals 8−17 × 4−9.5 mm; for each flower some filaments exserted 11+ mm from hypanthium .. Epilobium canum subsp. canum [pics]
2' Perennial herbs with green foliage; blades glandular-hairy on both surfaces; hypanthium 15−18 mm long; petals 6.5−8 × 4.5−5 mm; filaments exserted 7−10 mm from hypanthium .. Epilobium canum subsp. latifolium [pics]
1' Vegetative shoots glabrous to glabrate, not glandular-hairy; flowers white to pink or rose to light purple; hypanthium to 6 mm long, not glandular-hairy
3 Plants typically with 1 principal, erect shoot; flowers open, flower buds > 10 mm long; capsules 4-sided, 15+ mm long, with valves splitting nearly to base, having seeds in 1 vertical row per chamber; seeds with conspicuous tuft of silky hairs at tip
4 Perennial herbs, rhizomatous and growing in wet situations; petals narrowly lanceolate and shallowly notched, 2−5.3 × 1.5−3 mm; capsules 30−60 mm long .. Epilobium ciliatum subsp. ciliatum [pics]
4' Annuals, growing in dry, open sites; petals deeply 2-lobed, (2−)4−10(−15) mm long; capsules 4-sided, 15−35 mm long .. Epilobium brachycarpum [pics]
3' Plants typically with several decumbent shoots from base; flowers never open (cleistogamous), flower buds to 8 mm long; capsules cylindric, 3.5−8 mm long, dehiscent only to above midpoint from tip, with 2 vertical rows of seeds per chamber; seeds lacking tuft of silky hairs at end .. Epilobium campestre
1 Flowers ± bilaterally symmetric, having petals shifted to the upper side and stamens oriented to the lower side; fruits in range rarely present, indehiscent, to 4-seeded (sect. Gaura)
2 Sepals 7−9 mm long; petals initially white aging rose-red and drying darker; filaments hairy at base; fruit 8−15 mm long with slender sterile tip several mm long .. Oenothera sinuosa
2' Sepals 10+ mm long; petals at anthesis deep or pale pink to pink-rose or strong purplish red aging darker; filaments glabrous; fruit lacking sterile tip
3 Plants with woody caudex, when flowering shoots with cauline leaves; petals remaining deep pink to rose; anthers 3−4 mm long; style < 16 mm long with stigma lobes 0.5−1.3 mm long .. Oenothera suffrutescens [pics]
3' Plants rhizomatous, when flowering having photosynthetic axes (virgate); petals aging crimson; anthers 4−6 mm long; style 17.5−21 mm long with stigma lobes 1.5−2.5 mm long .. Oenothera xenogaura [pics]
1' Flowers strictly radially symmetric; capsules dehiscent by 4 valves, many-seeded
4 Petals yellow or light yellow fading orangish
5 Plants robust, erect, 100−250 cm tall; flowers 70−100 across; sepals 27−48 mm long; stamens with filaments 12−25 mm long and anthers 8−15 mm long; capsules lanceoloid-cylindric and 30−45 × 4−7 mm .. Oenothera elata subsp. hirsutissima [pics]
5' Plants mostly decumbent, to 33 cm tall; flowers 25−33 mm across; sepals 12.5−17.5 mm long; stamens with filaments 7−10 mm long and anthers 4.8−5.2 mm long; capsules slightly club-shaped, 24−40 × 3.5−4 mm .. Oenothera laciniata [pics]
4' Petals rose to rose-purple or pink; capsules conspicuously club-shaped
6 Flowers showy, 25−40 mm across, having petals 15−25(−30) × 15−27 mm with yellowish tinge and a yellowish green base .. Oenothera speciosa [pics]
6' Flowers ca. 10 mm across, having petals 7−8(−10) × 3.5−6.5 mm with thickened green base; capsules strongly club-shaped and strongly 4-sided and 8-ridged .. Oenothera rosea [pics]
NB. Authors typically use fruit characteristic to distinguish the gaura species (formerly Gaura), but in range fruits rarely are observed because clones are self-incompatible, so instead floral features are emphasized in the above key. Oenothera californica (S. Watson) S. Watson is a desert species that was collected last century just outside range growing in sand along the Los Angeles River; it has showy white flowers pollinated by hawkmoths.
The text of the above keys used with permission from
A Naturalist's Flora of the Santa Monica Mountains and Simi Hills, California
© Copyright
Barry A. Prigge and Arthur C. Gibson
2013