Chylismia claviformis – “Brown-Eyed Primrose”

Also Known As: Browneyes, Club-Fruited Primrose
Other Botanical Names: Camissonia claviformis
Family: Evening Primrose (Onagraceae)
Bloom Period: Feb-May
Form: Annual herb
Habitat: Gravelly or sandy soils
Leaves: Spatulate, pinnately lobed or dissected, often with brownish splotches; mostly in a basal rosette with smaller leaves occasional on the stem
Translation: “Chylismia” comes from the Greek word “chylos,” which means “juice”; “claviformis” is Latin for “club-shaped,” and refers to the shape of the fruit, which look like skinny baseball bats in the photograph. “Camissonia” is named for Ludolf Karl Adelbert von Chamisso (1781-1838), French-born Prussian botanist, author, Romantic poet, and custodian of the botanical gardens in Berlin.
Notes: Also comes in a yellow form (also pictured). Quite similar to Booth Evening Primrose (Eremothera boothii); most easily distinguished by the club-shaped fruits.
Native American Uses: The Cahuilla ate the greens.
Animal Associations: Larval food plant for the White-Lined Sphinx moth. The major pollinator is a Mining Bee that collects pollen only from this plant, mates among the flowers, and nests in sandy places close by.