32 Journal New York Entomological Society. [Vol. xxviii. 



THE INSECTS OF THE EVENING PRIMROSES IN 

 NEW JERSEY. 



By Edgar L. Dickerson and Harry B. Weiss, 

 New Brunswick, N.J. 



The observations recorded in this paper were made in various 

 parts of New Jersey on the evening primroses which are commonly 

 and as v»^ill be shown later incorrectly known as CEnothera biennis 

 L., and probably such additional species as oakesiana and cleistantha. 

 Most of the work was done during the season of 1919 and it might 

 be added that it was carried on incidental to regular duties of an 

 inspection nature. 



OEnothera, according to Bailey's Standard Cyclopedia of Horti- 

 culture is said to be Greek for wine-scenting in allusion to an 

 ancient use of the roots. The Oenotheras are mostly dry soil plants 

 and are chiefly North American. In a letter Dr. George H. Shull 

 writes as follows: "The true CEnothera biennis L. has not been 

 found in America but is very widely distributed in Europe. It is 

 generally understood of course that all of the Oenotheras are of 

 American origin but that this particular species has no known native 

 American habitat, which probably means, merely that the American 

 Oenotheras are still only very imperfectly known. The number of 

 species occurring in America and formerly included under the name 

 biennis in the manuals is very large. I have not the least doubt that 

 when the CEnothera species of the eastern United States are fully 

 known taxonomically, there will be hundreds of them." 



In this paper, therefore, the term evening primrose should be 

 taken to mean in the main, those species commonly known and 

 grouped together under the name biennis. These species are mostly 

 biennial and make only a rosette of leaves during the first year. 

 According to Stone (Plants of Southern New Jersey, N. J. St. Mus. 

 Rept., 1910) dry, open ground is preferred. They are common in 

 the northern, middle and coast districts south to Cape May, being 

 largely weeds in waste places and cultivated ground. In this char- 

 acter they are occasionally found' in the pine barrens. Flowers occur 

 from late June into October and fruits from late July through 

 autumn. 



