70 NAT. ORDER. — ONAGUARI-E. 



and a little more than a half an inch in breadth ; the floicers are 

 solitary, each being separated by a leaflet or bracte, wider in propor- 

 tion at the base than the proper leaves, and drawn more to a point 

 diminishing gradually towards the top of the spike, till they become 

 linear, scarcely half an inch in length, and a line in breadtli. 



It is observed that the flowers usually open between six and seven 

 o'clock in the evening, whence the plant is called Evening or Night- 

 Primrose ; the flowers nearest the top of the stem bloom first in 

 June, the stalk keeping constantly advancing in height, and there is 

 a constant succession of flowers till late in the autumn. It is a 

 native of North America. The roots are frequently eaten by the 

 natives in the spring season. 



Oenothera longijlora. Long-flowered Tree-Primrose. This species 

 has also a biennial root ; the root-leaves are numerous, broad-lance- 

 olate, tooth-letted, pubscent, with a white rib, obliquely nerved ; the 

 stems usually five, springing out below the root-leaves, quite simple, 

 ascending, rough-haired, green, with long spreading hairs ; the cen- 

 tral stem grows up later ; the stem-leaves are ovate-oblong, sessile 

 like the root-leaves ; the flowers axillary from the upper leaves, with 

 the germ and calyx hairy. It is remarked by Curtis, that luxuriant 

 specimens exceed five feet in height, that the flowers are uncommonly 

 large and showy, and continue blooming from July to October. It 

 is a native of Buenos Ayres. 



Oenothera moUissima. Soft Tree-Primrose. This species has a 

 shrubby stalk more than two feet high, hairy, with narrow, lanceo- 

 late leaves, a little waved on their edges, and ending in acute points ; 

 the flowers are axillary, like the other sorts, at first pale yellow, but 

 as they decay changing to an orange color, smaller than those of the 

 first sort; the seed-vessels are slender, tapering and hairy. It is also 

 a biennial plant, and a native of Buenos Ayres. It flowers from 

 June to October. 



Oenothera biennis. Broad-leaved Tree-Primrose. This species 

 is a perennial, but altogether herbaceous, at least in this country, 



