Oenothera lavandulifolia, commonly called lavender leaf sundrops, is a low-growing perennial plant in the evening primrose family found in the Colorado Plateau and Canyonlands region of the southwestern United States.Canyon Country Wildflowers, Damian Fagan, 2nd ed., 2012, Morris Bush Publishing, LLC. in cooperation with Canyonlands Natural History Association,
Inflorescence and fruit From May to July it blooms with striking yellow flowers that fade to shades of orange or lavender as the flower dries up.
Taxonomy Oenothera lavandulifolia was scientifically described and named by John Torrey and Asa Gray in 1840. It is part of the genus Oenothera in the family Onagraceae. It has no accepted subspecies or varieties, but it has synonyms. It has, at times, been considered a variety or subspecies of Oenothera hartwegii.
Table of Synonyms Name Year Rank Notes Calylophus hartwegii subsp. lavanulifolia 1970 subspecies ≡ hom. Calylophus hartwegii var. lavanulifolia 1964 variety ≡ hom. Calylophus lavandulifolia 1964 species ≡ hom. Galpinsia lavandulifolia 1903 species = het. Oenothera hartwegii var. lavandulifolia 1873 variety = het. Oenothera lavandulifolia var. typica 1929 variety = het., not validly publ. Notes: ≡ homotypic synonym; = heterotypic synonym
Habitat and range It grows in blackbrush scrub and mixed desert shrub up into pinyon juniper woodland and ponderosa pine forest communities, as far north as South Dakota, and up to in elevation in the southwest.
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