Oenothera deltoides is a species of evening primrose known by several common names, including birdcage evening primrose, basket evening primrose, lion in a cage, and devil's lantern. It is native to the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it grows in sandy habitats from desert to beach.
The plant is grayish with basal, deltoid leaves. The large white flowers turn pinkish as they mature. When the plants die, the stems curl upward and form the "birdcage" for which the common name is derived.
Taxonomy Oenothera deltoides was scientifically describe and named by John Torrey and John C. Frémont in 1845. It is part of the genus Oenothera in the family Onagraceae.
According to Plants of the World Online (POWO) it has six subspecies. One of these, the Antioch Dunes Evening Primrose (ssp. howellii), is a federally listed endangered species known from a few sandy spots in the Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge just inland from the San Francisco Bay Area in California.Center for Plant Conservation: Oenothera deltoides ssp. howellii
Oenothera caespitosa is very similar, but lacks stems and has slightly larger flowers.
Oenothera deltoides has synonyms of the species or one of its subspecies according to POWO.
Table of Synonyms Name Year Rank Synonym of: Notes Anogra deltoidea 1896 species O. deltoides ≡ hom. Anogra simplex 1896 species subsp. ambigua ≡ hom. Oenothera albicaulis var. decumbens 1875 variety subsp. ambigua = het. Oenothera ambigua 1879 species subsp. ambigua ≡ hom., nom. illeg. Oenothera deltoides var. ambigua 1931 variety subsp. ambigua ≡ hom. Oenothera deltoides var. cineracea 1931 variety subsp. deltoides = het. Oenothera deltoides var. cognata 1931 variety subsp. cognata ≡ hom. Oenothera deltoides var. decumbens 1932 variety subsp. ambigua = het. Oenothera deltoides f. floccosa 1931 form subsp. deltoides = het. Oenothera deltoides f. glabrata 1931 form subsp. deltoides = het. Oenothera deltoides var. howellii 1949 variety subsp. howellii ≡ hom. Oenothera deltoides var. piperi 1931 variety subsp. piperi ≡ hom. Oenothera deltoides var. typica 1931 variety O. deltoides ≡ hom., not validly publ. Oenothera kleinii 1984 species subsp. deltoides = het. Oenothera simplex 1935 species subsp. ambigua ≡ hom., nom. illeg. Oenothera trichocalyx var. cineracea 1925 variety subsp. deltoides = het. Oenothera trichocalyx var. cognata 1925 variety subsp. cognata ≡ hom. Notes: ≡ homotypic synonym; = heterotypic synonym
References
Roadside plants of Southern California. Thomas J. Belzer. Mountain Press Publishing Company, 1984.
External links Calflora Database: Oenothera deltoides (Birdcage evening primrose, Desert lantern, Dune primrose) Jepson Manual eFlora (TJM2) treatment of Oenothera deltoides UC Photos gallery − Oenothera deltoides