September 13, 2011
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Southeastern, New Hampshire
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This evening primrose had fruit that is round-angled (not squarish, sharply-angled like
Meadow Evening Primrose (Oenothera pilosella). The fruit is thickest near the
base and tapers. The flowers are yellow. This means that the plant was either
Common Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis) (or one of its variations) or
Northern Evening Primrose (Oenothera pariflora) (or one of its variations). The
main differences appear to be the size of the seeds and how the two sepal appendages
connect to the sepal.
Looking at the picture on the left hand side of the 2nd row, it appears that the two
sepal appendances connect below the apex of the sepal. The apex of the sepal
is the point furthest away from where the sepal attaches to the flower. There is a
significant-sized ridge at the apex of the sepal and the appendances are attached
beneath that ridge.
In addition, the seeds of Common Evening Primrose are 1.2 to 1.8 mm long and the seeds
of Northern Evening Primrose are 1.8 to 2.2 mm long. As you can see from the picture on
the right of the second row, it appears that the seeds are approximately 1.8 to 1.9 mm
long when measuring from the center of each black hash mark that represents 1 mm.
Finally, a variation of Northern Evening Primrose is Oakes Evening Primrose
(Oenothera oakesiana). Oakes Evening Primrose, which is found primarily from
Massachusetts and south to Virginia, is covered with minute, stiff and appressed gray
or white hairs. But this plant has an intermingling of short and long hairs which
is commonly seen in the Northern parviflora variation.
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