Oenothera albicaulis Pursh var. californica S. Watson, Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 8: 582. 1872; Anogra californica (S. Watson) Small; Oenothera albicaulis var. melanosperma H. Léveillé; O. californica (S. Watson) S. Watson var. glabrata Munz; O. pallida Lindley var. californica (S. Watson) Jepson

Herbs perennial, densely strig­illose and villous, sometimes glabrous; from a taproot, lateral roots producing adventitious shoots. Stems ascending to decumbent, unbranched or branched, new rosettes not forming at branch apex, 10–40 cm. Leaves: blade oblong to oblanceolate to spatulate, margins usually entire or weakly dentate, sometimes more conspicuously dentate to pinnatifid. Flowers: floral tube 20–40 mm; sepals 15–25 mm; petals 15–30 mm. Capsules 30–55 mm. 2n = 28.

Flowering Apr–Jul(–Sep). Sandy or gravelly areas, open, coastal-sage scrub, chaparral, oak woodlands; 90–2000 m; Calif.; Mexico (Baja California).

Subspecies californica occurs in southwestern California from San Luis Obispo County south and into the Little San Bernardino Mountains to northern Baja California (Sierra de San Pedro Mártir).