First published 1915 Common Evening Primrose Oenothera biennis
Oenothera biennis (Common evening primrose or Evening star) Weedy evening-primrose, German rampion, hog weed, King's cure-all, and fever-plant is a species of Oenothera native to eastern and central North America, from Newfoundland west to Alberta, southeast to Florida, and southwest to Texas, and widely naturalized elsewhere in temperate and subtropical regions Oenothera biennis has a life span of two years (biennial) growing to 30–150 cm tall. The leaves are lanceolate, 5–20 cm long and 1– cm broad, produced in a tight rosette the first year, and spirally on a stem the second year. Blooming lasts from late spring to late summer. The flowers are hermaphrodite, produced on a tall spike and only last until the following noon. They open visibly fast every evening producing an interesting spectacle, hence the name "evening primrose." The blooms are yellow, –5 cm diameter, with four bilobed petals. The flower structure has an invisible to the naked eye bright nectar guide pattern. This pattern is apparent under ultraviolet light and visible to its pollinators, moths, butterflies and bees. The fruit is a capsule 2–4 cm long and 4–6 mm broad, containing numerous 1–2 mm long seeds, released when the capsule splits into four sections at maturity. The mature seeds contain approximately 7–10% gamma-linolenic acid, an essential fatty acid. The O. biennis seed oil is used to reduce the pains of premenstrual stress syndrome and is beneficial to the skin of the face Also, poultices containing O. biennis were at one time used to ease bruises and speed wound healing. Its leaves are edible and traditionally were used as a leaf vegetable
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Photo credit: © SOTK2011 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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