General: Brown-eyed Evening-Primrose (Chylismia claviformis) is an annual forb with basal leaves and a flowering stalk. The flowers are white, aging to pink, with a dark brown center. The stigma hangs out beyond the petals. Young leaves with a short petiole appear to be entire, but as the leaves age, the petiole grows, and the older leaves become 1-pinnate. The terminal leaflet is always much larger than the other leaflets.

Brown-eyed Evening-Primrose is a common component of desert vegetation communities in washes and other gravelly and rocky soils. Around Las Vegas, look for this species in washes at Lake Mead and Death Valley.

Family: Evening Primrose (Onagraceae).

Other Names: Browneyes. Formerly Camissonia claviformis.

Plant Form: Basal leaves with a nodding flower stalk.

Height: To about 2 feet, usually shorter.

Stems: Usually one flowering stalk.

Leaves: Generally basal; generally broad and 1-pinnate, but large terminal leaflet may look like an entire leaf; lateral leaflets much smaller than terminal leaflet.

Flowers: Blooms during early spring; flowers generally open at dusk. Flowers clustered at the top of the flower stalk; petals 4, white aging to pinkish with dark brown base. The stigma hangs out beyond the petals. The base of the petals is brown

Seeds:

Habitat: Washes and gravel or rocky soils.

Elevation: To about 6,000 feet; usually lower elevations.

Distribution: California to Idaho, Utah, and New Mexico.

Comments: Flowers open in the evening and generally are pollinated by moths.