SafePlants

Camissonia kernensis: Kern County Evening Primrose

Camissonia kernensis, commonly known as the Kern County evening primrose or Kern suncup, is a plant native to California.

Considerations for Pets

• This plant is an annual herb, which may be tempting for pets to nibble on.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Camissonia kernensis (Munz) P.H. Raven
• Common Names: Kern County evening primrose, Kern suncup
• Family: Onagraceae (Primrose family)
• Kingdom: Plantae
• Taxonomic Rank: Species
• Synonyms: Kern County evening-primrose
• Subspecies: Camissonia kernensis ssp. kernensis, Camissonia kernensis ssp. gilmanii
• Alternative scientific name: _Camissonia benitensis_

Distribution and Habitat

• Primarily found in Kern County, California.
• Also present in Tulare County, California
• Specific locations include: Walker Basin, Cuddeback Lake, Lost Hills, Chico Martinez Canyon, and the Kern River Valley.
• Also found in the Carrizo Plain National Monument in San Luis Obispo County.
• Grows in a saltbush scrub plant community.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

• Annual herb, classified as a forb/herb (a non-woody plant that is not a grass).

Ecological Role and Interactions

• The Kern primrose sphinx moth (Euproserpinus euterpe) relies on Camissonia kernensis as a primary food plant. Females lay eggs on the plant for their larvae to feed on.
• Females of the Kern primrose sphinx moth may mistakenly lay eggs on filaree (Erodium cicutarium), an exotic weed, which is detrimental to the moth larvae.

Quirky Facts

• The Kern primrose sphinx moth was thought to be extinct until the rediscovery of Camissonia kernensis in Kern County in 1974.

Further Information

• Discover Life offers a page about the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Camissonia kernensis.