genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...
of
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. They include all forbs (flowering plants without a woody stem), grasses and grass-like plants, a vast majority of ...
s in the family
Onagraceae
The Onagraceae are a family of flowering plants known as the willowherb family or evening primrose family. They include about 650 species of herbs, shrubs, and treesNorth America. The genus includes many species known commonly as beeblossoms. Recent genetic research has shown that the genus is
paraphyletic
In taxonomy (general), taxonomy, a group is paraphyletic if it consists of the group's most recent common ancestor, last common ancestor and most of its descendants, excluding a few Monophyly, monophyletic subgroups. The group is said to be pa ...
unless the monotypic genus ''Stenosiphon'' is included within ''Gaura'', increasing the number of species in the genus to 22.Raven P. H., & Gregory, D. P. (1972). A revision of the genus Gaura (Onagraceae). ''Mem. Torrey Bot. Club'' 23: 1-96.Carr, B. L., Crisci, J. V., & Hoch, P. C. (1990). A cladistic analysis of the genus ''Gaura'' (Onagraceae). ''Systematic Botany'' 15 (3): 454-461.
They are
annual
Annual may refer to:
* Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year
**Yearbook
**Literary annual
* Annual plant
*Annual report
*Annual giving
*Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco
*Annuals (band), ...
,
biennial
Biennial means (an event) lasting for two years or occurring every two years. The related term biennium is used in reference to a period of two years.
In particular, it can refer to:
* Biennial plant, a plant which blooms in its second year and th ...
or
perennial
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...
herbaceous
Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials.
Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous"
The fourth edition ...
plants; most are perennials with sturdy rhizomes, often forming dense thickets, crowding or shading out other plant species. They have a basal rosette of leaves, with erect or spreading flowering stems up to 2 m (rarely more) tall, leafy on the lower stem, branched and leafless on the upper stem. The
flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism ...
s have four (rarely three) petals; they are
zygomorphic
Floral symmetry describes whether, and how, a flower, in particular its perianth, can be divided into two or more identical or mirror-image parts.
Uncommonly, flowers may have no axis of symmetry at all, typically because their parts are spiral ...
, with all the petals directed somewhat upwards. The
fruit
In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering.
Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in partic ...
is an indehiscent nut-like body containing reddish-brown
seed
A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiosper ...
s. It reproduces via seeds and also by rhizome growth.
;Species
*''
Gaura angustifolia
''Gaura'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Onagraceae, native to North America. The genus includes many species known commonly as beeblossoms. Recent genetic research has shown that the genus is paraphyletic unless the monotypic gen ...
Gaura coccinea
''Oenothera suffrutescens'' (syn. ''Gaura coccinea'') is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known as scarlet beeblossom and scarlet gaura.
Distribution
The plant is native to much of North America, especially the wester ...
''
*''
Gaura demareei
''Gaura'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Onagraceae, native to North America. The genus includes many species known commonly as beeblossoms. Recent genetic research has shown that the genus is paraphyletic unless the monotypic gen ...
Gaura linifolia
''Gaura'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Onagraceae, native to North America. The genus includes many species known commonly as beeblossoms. Recent genetic research has shown that the genus is paraphyletic unless the monotypic gen ...
'' (syn. ''Stenosiphon linifolius'')
*''
Gaura longiflora
''Gaura'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Onagraceae, native to North America. The genus includes many species known commonly as beeblossoms. Recent genetic research has shown that the genus is paraphyletic unless the monotypic gen ...
''
*''
Gaura macrocarpa
''Gaura'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Onagraceae, native to North America. The genus includes many species known commonly as beeblossoms. Recent genetic research has shown that the genus is paraphyletic unless the monotypic gen ...
''
*''
Gaura mckelveyae
''Gaura'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Onagraceae, native to North America. The genus includes many species known commonly as beeblossoms. Recent genetic research has shown that the genus is paraphyletic unless the monotypic gen ...
''
*''
Gaura mutabilis
''Gaura'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Onagraceae, native to North America. The genus includes many species known commonly as beeblossoms. Recent genetic research has shown that the genus is paraphyletic unless the monotypic gen ...
''
*''
Gaura neomexicana
''Gaura neomexicana'' is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common name New Mexico beeblossom. It is native to the west central United States.
There are two subspecies of this species. One, the rare Colorad ...
''
*''
Gaura parviflora
''Oenothera curtiflora'' (syn. ''Gaura parviflora''), known as velvetweed, velvety gaura, downy gaura, or smallflower gaura, is a species of flowering plant native to the central United States and northern Mexico, from Nebraska and Wyoming south ...
'' (syn. ''G. mollis'')
*''
Gaura sinuata
''Oenothera sinuosa'' is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common names wavyleaf beeblossom and Red River gaura. The species was previously treated as ''Gaura sinuata'', but in 2007 the species, along with ...
Gaura triangulata
''Gaura'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Onagraceae, native to North America. The genus includes many species known commonly as beeblossoms. Recent genetic research has shown that the genus is paraphyletic unless the monotypic genu ...
''
*''
Gaura villosa
''Gaura'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Onagraceae, native to North America. The genus includes many species known commonly as beeblossoms. Recent genetic research has shown that the genus is paraphyletic unless the monotypic genu ...
''
Several species of ''Gaura'' are regarded as
noxious weed
A noxious weed, harmful weed or injurious weed is a weed that has been designated by an agricultural or other governing authority as a plant that is injurious to agricultural or horticultural crops, natural habitats or ecosystems, or humans or liv ...
s, especially in disturbed or overgrazed areas where it easily takes hold. They can become a nuisance in situations involving disturbed habitat, such as trampled rangeland and clearings. Efforts to control ''Gaura'' focus mainly on prevention of misuse of land. There is no
biological control
Biological control or biocontrol is a method of controlling pests, such as insects, mites, weeds, and plant diseases, using other organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or other natural mechanisms, but typically als ...
method for plants of genus ''Gaura'', and removing existing infestations is difficult, due in large part to the plants' ability to reproduce from bits of rhizome left in the ground.EncycloWeedia Genus ''Gaura'' /ref>
Despite the poor reputation of plants of this genus, some species are cultivated as garden plants, such as ''G. lindheimeri'' (White Gaura).
Synonymy
In 2007, Warren L. Wagner, Peter C. Hoch, and Peter H. Raven published a ''Revised Classification of the Onagraceae'',Onagraceae Wagner,W.L et al. ''Revised Classification of the Onagraceae'' (2007) which moved the bulk of the ''Gaura'' taxa into genus ''
Oenothera
''Oenothera'' is a genus of about 145 species of herbaceous flowering plants native to the Americas. It is the type genus of the family Onagraceae. Common names include evening primrose, suncups, and sundrops. They are not closely related to ...
'' sect. ''Gaura'' and made ''Gaura'' a synonym of ''Oenothera''.''Gaura'' Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden. 13 Dec 2011 The following table shows where the ''Gaura'' taxa have been placed.''Oenothera'' Wagner, W. L. and P. C. Hoch. 2005- Onagraceae, The Evening Primrose Family. 2011-12-07''Oenothera'' USDA Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) 2011-12-13