Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; widely distributed throughout North America.
Habitat: Open, sandy, rocky, often disturbed places.
Flowers: June-September
Origin: Introduced
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Annual from a taproot, the stem single, simple below and branched above, 0.2-2 m. tall, puberulent, but also with soft, spreading hairs 2 mm. long.
Leaves alternate, the basal leaves spatulate, the lower cauline leaves oblong, the others oblong-lanceolate to lanceolate, 4-15 cm. long, entire to wavy-dentate, gradually reduced upward to very small, linear floral bracts.
Inflorescence of many-flowered spikes, 1-3 dm. long; calyx tube very slender, 2-3 mm. long, with 4 distinct, reflexed lobes 2-3 mm. long; petals 4, short-clawed, pinkish, 2 mm. long; stamens 8, filaments without basal scales; ovary inferior, 4-celled.
Fruit hardened, 6-10 mm. long, spindle-shaped, glabrous, 4-angled by not winged.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Oenothera curtiflora in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.
WA Flora Checklist: Oenothera curtiflora checklist entry.
E-Flora BC: Oenothera curtiflora atlas page.
CalPhotos: Oenothera curtiflora photos.
USDA Plants: Oenothera curtiflora information.