DRY FIELDS— WASTE PLACES— WAYSIDES 187 



finished. The flowers open at sunset and on cloudy days, and 

 wither the next morning. In September they remain open all 

 day : 



"A tuft of evening primroses, 



O'er which the wind may hover till it dozes, 



O'er which it well might take a pleasant sleep, 



But that it is ever started by the leap 



Of buds into ripe flowers." 



The stem is stout and hairy, i to 5 feet high. These blossoms 

 are fertilized by night-flying insects, whose keen eyes see the 

 golden blossoms in the darkness, and whose fine sense of smell 

 is attracted by their delicate fragrance. 



24. Sundrops 



O. fruticosa has alternate, oblong, or lance-shaped, toothed 

 leaves. 



Flotuer, as in the preceding. The calyx-lobes turn back. 

 Pod, with a short, thick stalk, 4-angled. 



A variable species, from i to 3 feet tall, with delicate, lemon- 

 colored, large flowers, slightly fragrant, in loose or corymbic clus- 

 ters. The flowers open by day and close at night. 



25 



O. pumila is a smaller species, with pods less winged, and 

 with entire, blunt-pointed leaves, narrow on the stems, i to 2 

 feet high. Flowers in a loose, leafy spike. 



The evening primroses of the Eastern States are all yellow. 

 Two white or rose-colored species are found west of Kentucky 

 and Missouri. 



26. Gaura 



Gaura biennis. — Family, Evening Primrose. Color, rose 

 or white, growing redder with age. Leaves, alternate, ses- 

 sile, oblong to lance -shaped, slightly toothed. Iwie, Au- 

 gust. 



