Eremothera (Camissonia) boothii, Woody Bottle-washer, Southwest Desert Flora

Eremothera boothii, Woody Bottle-Washer

Woody Bottle-washer has attractive white flowers often with red on nodding flowering stalks. Plants bloom from February to August across its large range and multiple sub-species. Eremothera boothii

Woody Bottle-washer is a highly variable primrose that is found in the far western United States. It is an annual native species that grows up to 16 inches or so. Eremothera boothii

Woody Bottle-washer has attractive basal leaves; green in color with mottled darker blotches gives the plants a dramatic appearance. The leaves may be narrowly elliptic to narrowly ovate. Eremothera boothii

Woody Bottle-washer is also called Booth’s Evening-primrose or Booth’s Suncup. This species prefers a wide-range of habitats from low desert to pinyon juniper woodlands. Eremothera boothii

Scientific Name: Eremothera (Camissonia) boothii
Common Name: Woody Bottle-washer
Also Called: Booth Evening Primrose, Booth's Evening-primrose, Booth's Suncup
Family: Onagraceae, Evening Primrose Family
Synonyms: (Camissonia boothii, Oenothera boothii)
Status: Native
Duration: Annual
Size: Up to 16 inches more or less.
Growth Form: Forb/herb; plants mostly plus or minus red; plants highly variable across its range; rosette generally well developed; pubescence minutely strigose, some glandular; stems erect
Leaves: Green, with dark green spots or blotches; highly variable across its range; shape narrowly elliptic or narrowly ovate.
Flower Color: White with some red; nodding flowering stalks; cylindric fruits.
Flowering Season: February August.
Elevation: 200 to 7,500 feet.

Habitat Preferences: Habitat preferences highly variable; sandy flats, washes, steep loose slopes, desert-scrub, Creosote Bush communities, Sagebrush communities, Joshua-tree and pinyon/juniper woodland communities.

Recorded Range: Woody Bottle-washer is found in the far western United States in AZ, CA, ID, NV, OR, UT, WA.

North America & US County Distribution Map for Eremothera boothii.

U.S. Weed Information: No information available.
Invasive/Noxious Weed Information: No information available.
Wetland Indicator: No information available.
Threatened/Endangered Information: No information available.

Genus Information: In North America SEINet lists 7 species for Eremothera. Worldwide, The Plant List includes 7 accepted species names and a further 29 of infraspecific rank for the genus.

Using SEINet species list for Eremothera in the Southwestern United States: Arizona has 3 species of Eremothera, California has 4 species, Nevada has 5 species, New Mexico has 2 species, Texas has 1 species, Utah has 5 species. All data is approximate and subject to taxonomic changes.

There are 6 sub-species in Camissonia boothii (=Eremothera boothii):
Camissonia boothii ssp. alyssoides; Alyssum Evening Primrose, (AZ, CA, ID, NV, OR, UT);
Camissonia boothii ssp. boothii; Booth's Suncup, (AZ, CA, ID, NV, OR, UT);
Camissonia boothii ssp. condensata; Shredding Suncup, (AZ, CA, ID, NV, OR, UT);
Camissonia boothii ssp. decorticans; Shredding Suncup, (AZ, CA, NV, UT);
Camissonia boothii ssp. desertorum ; Desert Suncup, (AZ, CA);
Camissonia boothii ssp. intermedia; Booth's Evening Primrose, (CA, NV).

Comments: Eremothera boothii has 6 sub-species making it highly variable across its large western United States range.