Semi-desert. Shrublands, Pinyon/Juniper woodlands, sand, rocks. Spring.
Utah near Four Corners, April 17, 2010.

These large-leaved, small-flowered Evening Primrose plants grow from just an inch to ten inches tall.  Minute flowers (petals only 2-5 millimeters long) open in the day or night.  Petals may have red spots near the base.  Where one plant is found, there are often many plants.

Camissonia scapoidea was first named Oenothera scapoidea by Torrey and Gray in 1840 from a specimen collected by the eminent botanist and teacher, Thomas Nuttall in 1834. Peter Raven reclassified a number of Oenotheras as Camissonias in 1964.

Camissonia scapoidea subspecies scapoidea
Onagraceae (Evening Primrose Family)

Semi-desert. Shrublands, Pinyon/Juniper woodlands, sand, rocks. Spring.
Utah near Four Corners, April 17, 2010.

Long seed pods explode and scatter seeds.

Semi-desert. Shrublands, Pinyon/Juniper woodlands, sand, rocks. Spring.
Colorado River near Moab, May 5, 2005.

Normally Camissonia walkeri leaves are "bright gray-green... and peppered with small darker green spots" (Intermountain Flora) or "purple dotted" (Utah Flora).  Apparently the orange/pink sandstone soils impart the fabulous turquoise color.  Camissonia walkeri could easily be mistaken for a Mustard (I made that mistake) but a closer look, especially at the flower, shows it to be an Evening Primrose.

The renowned Charles Parry collected this in the Virgin River valley near St. George, Utah in 1874 and Aven Nelsen named it Oenothera brevipes in 1875.  Nelsen renamed it Chylisma walkeri in 1913, it went through several other name changes, and Peter Raven, now Director of the Missouri Botanical Garden, renamed it Camissonia walkeri in 1964.  Ernest P. Walker collected the species in the Paradox Valley of Colorado in 1912.  (More biographical information.)

Semi-desert. Shrublands, Pinyon/Juniper woodlands, sand, rocks. Spring.
Colorado River near Moab, May 5, 2005.

Flowers are quite small; seed pods are large, ribbed, and arching upward on short stems.

Semi-desert. Shrublands, Pinyon/Juniper woodlands, sand, rocks. Spring.
Colorado River near Moab, May 5, 2005.

Minute buds give way to tiny flowers which give way to long seed pods.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color Key

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Eradicated
Questionable presence

Range map for Camissonia scapoidea

Range map for Camissonia walkeri