Oenothera strigulosa (Fischer &C. A. Meyer) Torrey & A. Gray var. pubens S. Watson, Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 8: 594. 1873; Camissonia contorta (Douglas) Kearney var. pubens (S. Watson) Kearney; O. pubens (S. Watson) Munz; Sphaerostigma contortum (Douglas) Walpers var. pubens (S. Watson) Small; S. orthocarpum A. Nelson &P. B. Kennedy; S. pubens (S. Watson) Rydberg

Herbs moderately to densely villous throughout, also glandular puberulent, especially distally. Stems erect, moderately robust, often branched at base, 5–20(–38) cm. Leaves: proximalmost usually clustered near base; blade narrowly lanceolate, 1.5–3(–4.5) × 0.2–0.6 cm, base narrowly cuneate, margins undulate-serrate, apex acuminate. Flowers opening near sunrise; floral tube 1.3–3 mm, usually pubescent on proximal 1/2 inside; sepals 2.2–3.8 mm, reflexed separately; petals (2.2–)3–4 mm, each with 1–several red dots basally; fila­ments 0.5–1 mm, anthers 0.4–0.5 mm, pollen with less than 5% of grains 4- or 5-pored; style 3.2–4.1 mm, stigma surrounded by anthers at anthesis. Capsules (18–)26–50 × 0.8–1.2 mm; pedicel 0–2 mm. Seeds 1–1.1 × 0.4 mm. 2n = 28.

Flowering Apr–Jun. Sandy soil on open or brushy slopes and flats, usually sagebrush scrub or pinyon-juniper woodlands; 900–3000 m; Calif., Nev.

Camissonia pubens occurs in eastern California and west-central Nevada.

P. H. Raven (1969) determined that Camissonia pubens is self-compatible and autogamous. The species is closely related to C. kernensis, C. parvula, and C. pusilla.