Oenothera speciosa - Flora of Qatar

Oenothera speciosa is a species of evening primrose known by several common names, including pinkladies, pink evening primrose, showy evening primrose, Mexican primrose, and amapola. It is a herbaceous perennial wildflower native to 28 of the lower 48 U.S. states (Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, the Carolinas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia) as well as Chihuahua and Coahuila in Mexico. The specific name, speciosa, means "showy".[+]

The pink primrose has glaborous (smooth) to pubescent stems that grow to 50 cm in height. The pubescent leaves are alternate with very short or no petiole (sessile), reaching 10 cm long to 4 cm broad. They are variable in shape, from linear to obovate, and are toothed or wavy-edged. It produces single, four-petaled, cup-shaped flowers on the upper leaf axils. These fragrant shell-pink flowers bloom throughout the summer into early autumn. The 1.5–2 in (3.8–5.1 cm) flowers start out white and grow pink as they age. The flower throats, as well as the stigmas and stamens, have a soft yellow color. It blooms both day and night, but typically in the pre-dawn hours, closing when the full sun hits them. They bloom from March to July, and occasionally in the fall. The flowers are frequented by several species of insect, but moths are the most common as the flowers are mostly open at night.

The plant's wild habitat includes rocky prairies, open woodlands, slopes, roadsides, meadows and disturbed areas. While it makes an attractive garden plant, care should be taken with it as it can become invasive, spreading by runners and seeds. This drought-resistant plant prefers loose, fast-draining soil and full sun.

This plant is also frequently referred to as a buttercup, though it is not a true buttercup (genus Ranunculus), or even in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae.

AI-generated Description

Oenothera speciosa, also known as Pink Evening Primrose, is a perennial herb native to North America. In Qatar, it has been naturalized and can be found growing wild, particularly in areas with disturbed soil and full sun. The plant produces showy pink flowers with four petals, typically blooming from February to May. Its presence in Qatar is likely due to human introduction, either intentionally or through contamination of soil or plant material. Despite being non-native, Oenothera speciosa has adapted well to Qatar's arid climate and can be seen growing along roadsides, in gardens, and other urban areas.

AI-generated summary of observations

The Oenothera speciosa, also known as Showy Evening Primrose, was observed growing as an invasive ground cover on lawns near the back entrance of Texas A and M University on the campus of Education City in Doha, Qatar. It was seen blooming among Carissa bushes and spreading on the lawn. The plant's flowers were observed up close, showing their distinctive features. The observations were made on multiple dates, including May 7, 2014, and April 14, 16, 2015, indicating that the plant blooms in the spring season in Qatar. The flowers were seen in various stages of bloom, with some lawns having a large number of blooming plants. The plant's ability to grow and spread quickly was evident, as it was observed covering large areas of the lawn.

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Acknowledgements

QNHG (Qatar Natural History Group) and associated people, for a possibility to participate in their field excursions and to learn about local nature.

Oenothera speciosa Nutt.

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Extract from Wikipedia article