Taxon Report

Oenothera cavernae Munz

cave evening-primrose

Print Report


© 2008 James M Andre

Taxon Summary

Oenothera cavernae, commonly known as cave evening-primrose, is a annual herb in the Onagraceae that is found in California and elsewhere. It occurs within Great Basin scrub, Joshua tree "woodland", and Mojavean desert scrub, growing at elevations from 760 to 1280 meters. Oenothera cavernae is ranked 2B.1, Plants Rare, Threatened, or Endangered in California, But More Common Elsewhere; Seriously threatened in California.

  Classification
Scientific Name:
 Oenothera cavernae Munz
Common Name:
 cave evening-primrose
Family: Onagraceae
Element Code: PDONA0C090
USDA Plants Symbol: OECA5
Synonyms/Other Names:

Ecology and Life History
Lifeform: annual herb
Blooming Period: Mar-Nov Mar-Nov
Elevation: 760-1280 (2495-4200)
General Habitats: Great Basin scrub, Joshua tree "woodland", Mojavean desert scrub
Microhabitat: Gravelly
Microhabitat Details: often calcareous

Conservation Status
CA Rare Plant Rank: 2B.1
Global Rank: G2G3
State Rank:
 S1
State List: None
Fed List: None
Other Status: SB_CalBG/RSABG
CRPR Changes:
  • changed from 2.1 to 2B.1 on 2013-06-12
  • added to 2.1 on 2008-08-12

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB
Total Occurrences: 6
Element Occurrence Ranks:
   Excellent (A) 1
   Good (B) 0
   Fair (C) 1
   Poor (D) 0
   None (X) 0
   Unknown (U) 4

Location
California Endemic:  False
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
San Bernardino (SBD)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Clark Mtn. (3511555), Ivanpah Lake (3511554), State Line Pass (3511564)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB

Threat List Total: 3
EOs with Threat Listed: Total EOs % of EOs
3 50 %
Grazing 2 33%
Mining 2 33%
Development 1 16%

Notes
Threats:
Threatened by energy development. Possibly threatened by grazing and mining.
Taxonomy:
Not in The Jepson Manual (1993).

Selected References

Proposed Addition to CRPR 2.1, G2G3 / S1 (2008)
Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 10 May 2025].