Oenothera cheiranthifolia Hornemann ex Sprengel var. suffruticosa S. Watson, Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 8: 592. 1873; Camissonia cheiranthifolia (Hornemann ex Sprengel) Raimann subsp. suffruticosa (S. Watson) P. H. Raven; O. spiralis Hooker var. linearis Jepson; O. spiralis var. viridescens (Hooker) Jepson; Sphaerostigma spirale (Hooker) Fischer & C. A. Meyer var. viridescens (Hooker) A. Nelson; S. viridescens (Hooker) Walpers

Stems woody at least at base, ascending, usually densely silvery strigillose. Flowers: floral tube 5–8.5 mm; sepals 6–11.5 mm; petals (10–)12–20 mm; episepalous filaments 5–8 mm, epipetalous filaments 3–6 mm, anthers 2.2–3 mm; style 13–23 mm, stigma exserted beyond anthers at anthesis. 2n = 14.

Flowering Jan–Aug. Coastal sandy slopes, dunes, and flats; 0–100 m; Calif.; Mexico (Baja California).

Subspecies suffruticosa occurs from near Goleta, Santa Barbara County, California, and San Nicolas Island, south to near San Quintín and Isla San Martín, Baja California, Mexico (P. H. Raven 1969). The subspecies hybridizes with C. bistorta in areas of near sympatry.