Chylismia heterochroma
Shockley's evening-primrose
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Onagraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Chylismia heterochroma (Shockley's evening-primrose) is a native California herb in the Onagraceae family, recognized by uniquely distinguished by lavender petals with yellow, purple-dotted bases.
Shockley's evening-primrose is a California native annual found in the southern eastern desert mountains and northern Desert Mountains, specifically the Grapevine Mountains, in creosote-bush scrub and pinyon/juniper woodland at elevations of 600 to 2,100 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces lavender flowers with yellow bases, dotted with lavender, opening at dawn and measuring 2 to 6 millimeters across. Growing with stems 10 to 100 centimeters tall, this plant is glandular-hairy or nearly smooth and pale green toward the upper parts. Its leaves are primarily basal, less than 70 millimeters long, with an ovate shape and heart-shaped base. The fruit is an erect, club-shaped structure 7 to 13 millimeters long, carried on a short 2 to 5 millimeter pedicel.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 11 sympatric species; uniquely distinguished by lavender petals with yellow, purple-dotted bases
Habitat and range
Habitat: Alluvial slopes, rock slides, creosote-bush scrub to pinyon/juniper woodland
Elevation: 600-2100 m
Outside California: Nevada
Bloom period
Chylismia heterochroma blooms May-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Eremothera: Chylismia has yellow flowers; Eremothera has white, pink, or red flowers that open at night.; vs Camissonia: Chylismia leaves are mostly basal and dandelion-like; Camissonia has narrow leaves up the stem.; vs Camissoniopsis: Chylismia has dandelion-like basal leaves; Camissoniopsis has lance-shaped leaves along the stem.; vs Eulobus: Chylismia has basal dandelion-like leaves; Eulobus has elegant wand-like stems with red-flecked petals.; vs Oenothera: Chylismia has dandelion-like basal leaves; Oenothera is typically a robust tall plant with 4-lobed stigma.
Frequently asked questions
Is Chylismia heterochroma native to California?
Yes. Chylismia heterochroma is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Chylismia heterochroma bloom?
Chylismia heterochroma blooms May-Jun.
What plant family does Chylismia heterochroma belong to?
Chylismia heterochroma is in the Onagraceae family, genus Chylismia.
What habitat does Chylismia heterochroma grow in?
Chylismia heterochroma grows in Alluvial slopes, rock slides, creosote-bush scrub to pinyon/juniper woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-08
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.