Astragalus gilviflorus

Oenothera macrocarpa

Bigfruit Evening-Primrose

Upper Stem

Fieldstone Campground & RV Resort, North of Moosomin on Highway # 8
31-July-2010

I found this plant growing in a flower bed outside the office of the Fieldstone Campground. The proprietor of the campground said he was told that a previous owner had found the plant growing in the wild nearby and had transplanted it to the flower bed. He also said someone from the biology department at the University of Saskatchewan had actually come out to take a look at it. However, I cannot confirm any of this. As far as I know, it has never been collected in the wild in Saskatchewan, though it can be purchased as a garden perennial. In addition, Flora of the Great Plains does not report this plant north of Nebraska. Therefore I cannot conclude that this species is or was native to Saskatchewan. I include it here because of the interesting story and because it is quite showy. If you happen to have any further information about this species in Saskatchewan, you could contact me at 306-359-3806 or 306-531-4344.

Macrocarpa: Answers to key questions in Flora of the Great Plains leading to this species.

plants biennial or perennial; NOT [plants annual]

plants not rhizomatous, sometimes producing new shoots from lateral roots; NOT [plants rhizomatous]

plants usually distinctly caulescent; NOT [plants acaulescent]

leaves entire or remotely sinuate-dentate; NOT [leaves subentire to lobed]

flowers in axils of stem or basal leaves; NOT [flowers in terminal bracteate spikes]

petals yellow or pale yellow at anthesis, fading reddish, purplish or whitish

capsules winged; NOT [angle of capsules tuberculate or with sinuate ridges]; NOT [capsules wingless and angle without tubercles or ridges]

capsules distinctly winged their entire length; NOT [capsules winged in upper 2/3, gradually tapering to base]

seeds with an erose wing distally or sometimes extending part way along both adaxial margins; NOT [seeds with a narrow entire wing on one adaxial margin]

seed surface rugose; NOT [seed surface beaded]

Oenothera: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus.

hypanthium prolonged beyond the ovary

flower parts in 4’s; NOT [flower parts in 2’s]

sepals commonly reflexed; NOT [sepals erect]

petals yellow, white or pink; NOT [petals purplish]

anthers attached near their middle, usually versatile; NOT [anthers attached near their base, erect]

ovary 4-loculed; NOT [ovary2-loculed]

fruit a capsule; NOT [fruit nut-like]

fruit opening by valves; NOT [fruit indehiscent]

fruit opening with 4 valves; NOT [capsules opening with 2 valves]

fruit NOT covered with hooks; NOT [fruit covered with hooked bristles]

seeds lacking a coma; NOT [seeds with a tuft of hairs (coma) at one end]

fruit many-seeded; NOT [fruit 1-seeded]

Onagraceae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora leading to this family.

herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]

plants terrestrial; NOT [plants aquatic; leaves submerged or floating], NOT [mud plants with small axillary flowers]

plants NOT with colored milky juice

plants with more than one normal leaf

leaves without stipules, or having glands; NOT [leaves with stipules]

plants without large petal-like bracts; NOT [plants with an involucre of 4 petal-like bracts]

flowers with two floral rings

parts of flowers in twos or fours; NOT [parts of flowers mostly in fives]

calyx regular; NOT [calyx irregular, some sepals smaller than others]

each petal distinct from the others

stamens 10 or fewer; NOT [stamens usually more than 10]

styles single; NOT [styles 2 or more]

ovary inferior; NOT [ovary superior]