Onagraceae

The Onagraceae is characterized as having four separate petals coming off an inferior ovary.  The cross-like appearance of the stigma lobes, shown here from an ornamental grown in the Shrum garden, is characteristic.

Web Links Oenothera sp. - ornamental evening primrose

 

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 Not all Oenotheras are going to be yellow.  This ornamental form does well in my backyard.  Note the cross-shaped stigma.

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 This is Oenothera biennis, the common evening primrose.  It is found in a variety of habitats, and is a classic part of the summer flora.

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 This is fireweed, Epilobium angustifolium, as I saw it along the coast of Maine.  It is common there.  It is an excellent colonizer after forest fires, and it is an excellent colonizer in nurseries. For that reason, it is considered as a serious invasive.

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