''Gaura'' was a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

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 trees North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

. The name was derived from

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

''(gaûros)'' meaning "superb" and named in reference to the stature and floral display of some species in this genus. The genus included many species known commonly as beeblossoms. Genetic research showed that the genus was

paraphyletic Paraphyly is a taxonomic term describing a grouping that consists of the grouping's last common ancestor and some but not all of its descendant lineages. The grouping is said to be paraphyletic ''with respect to'' the excluded subgroups. In co ...

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. ''Gaura'' is now a synonym of ''

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 ...

'', with the bulk of the ''Gaura'' taxa in genus ''Oenothera'' sect. ''Gaura'' . Gauras 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), a ...

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 t ...

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

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 of ...

plants; most are perennials with sturdy

rhizome In botany and dendrology, a rhizome ( ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and Shoot (botany), shoots from its Node (botany), nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from ...

s, 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 Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

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 spir ...

, with all the petals directed somewhat upwards. The

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants (angiosperms) that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which angiosperms disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particular have long propaga ...

is an indehiscent nut-like body containing reddish-brown

seed In botany, a seed is a plant structure containing an embryo and stored nutrients in a protective coat called a ''testa''. More generally, the term "seed" means anything that can be Sowing, sown, which may include seed and husk or tuber. Seeds ...

s. It reproduces via seeds and also by rhizome growth. ;Species formerly in ''Gaura'' *'' Gaura angustifolia'' *'' Gaura biennis'' *'' Gaura boquillensis'' *'' Gaura brachycarpa'' *'' Gaura calcicola'' *'' Gaura coccinea'' *'' Gaura demareei'' *'' Gaura drummondii'' *'' Gaura filipes'' *''

Gaura hexandra ''Gaura'' was a genus of flowering plants in the family Onagraceae, native to North America. The name was derived from Greek Language, Greek ''(gaûros)'' meaning "superb" and named in reference to the stature and floral display of some specie ...

'' *'' Gaura lindheimeri'' *'' Gaura linifolia'' (syn. ''Stenosiphon linifolius'') *'' Gaura longiflora'' *'' Gaura macrocarpa'' *'' Gaura mckelveyae'' *'' Gaura mutabilis'' *'' Gaura neomexicana'' *'' Gaura parviflora'' (syn. ''G. mollis'') *'' Gaura sinuata'' *'' Gaura suffulta'' *'' Gaura triangulata'' *'' Gaura villosa'' Several species of the former ''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 harmful to agricultural or horticultural crops, natural habitats or ecosystems, or humans or lives ...

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, whether pest animals such as insects and mites, weeds, or pathogens affecting animals or plants by using other organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or o ...

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 these plants, 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 ''

'' 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

References

{{Authority control Onagraceae genera Historically recognized angiosperm genera