Lavenderleaf Sundrops - Calylophus lavandulifolius

 This bright flower in the Evening Primrose Family (Onagraceae) has one of the best common names I've heard: lavenderleaf sundrops (Calylophus lavandulifolius). It grows in gravels from the Plains States west to Nevada.

 Flowers are one to two inches across and bright yellow. As they fade, they turn pinkish or purplish.

For more info about lavenderleaf sundrops, click here.

Yellow Evening Primrose-Oenothera flava

This bright member of the Evening Primrose Family (Onagraceae) can be distinguished by its yellow flowers and dandelion-like leaves. It sports the common names yellow evening primrose and dandelion-like evening primrose (Oenothera flava). Easy names to remember. And flava is Latin for yellow.
This species likes to grow in wet areas, and I found it in a place that is periodially flooded. It grows throughout the western U.S.

For more information about yellow evening primrose, click here.

Pale Evening Primrose-Oenothera pallida

On the way back from a trip this morning (hence a break in posting), we had to stop for some construction. I wandered around the side of the road and found these pretty flowers that are in the Evening Primrose Family (Onagraceae). Their name is pale evening primrose (Oenothera pallida). They grow about a foot high, with the flowers at the end of the stalks.
For more information about pale evening primrose, click here.

Browneyes-Camissonia claviformis

This rather small plant in the evening-primrose family is browneyes (Camissonia claviformis) as best as I can tell, although Camissonia boothii is also very similar. They both are found throughout the western U.S. and have many subspecies with different shaped leaves, different heights, and even different colors. It's an annual, and like others in this family, blooms in the evening.

For more information, click here.

Howard's Evening Primrose-Oenothera howardii

This pretty, low-lying flower with large yellow blossoms is a member of the Evening Primrose Family (Onagraceae), and is Howard's Evening Primrose (Oenothera howardii). 

Like other evening primroses, the flowers open for just one evening, when they are pollinated by moths. Then the flower wilts away, its job done.

This is a good plant for xeriscaping. For more information about Howard's evening primrose, click here. 

Tufted Evening Primrose-Oenothera caespitosa

This lovely flower is often in the middle of a two-track road. It might look like the one above, but it's not squished, it's just resting during the day. The Tufted Evening Primrose (Oenothera caespitosa) comes alive late in the day and during the night. 

The flowers have large petals that start out white but turn pink as they age. The flowers are generally open widest at night and twilight hours.

For more information about tufted evening primrose, click here.