Herbs perennial, caulescent, strigillose and also sparsely hirsute; from slender taproot. Stems several–many, ascending, unbranched or branched, 25–50 cm. Leaves in a basal rosette and cauline, basal (1–)2.5–6.5 × 0.6–2.3 cm, blade narrowly elliptic to narrowly ovate or ovate, margins weakly serrulate to sinuate-pinnatifid; cauline 1–5.5 × 0.6–2 cm, blade narrowly elliptic to narrowly ovate, margins weakly serrulate. Inflores­cences erect. Flowers 1–3 opening per day near sunrise; buds with free tips 0–1 mm; floral tube 15–26 mm; sepals 15–23 mm; petals rose purple, fading darker, 12–25(–30) mm; filaments 9–13 mm, anthers 3.5–6mm, pollen 85–100% fertile; style 26–36 mm, stigma exserted beyond anthers at anthesis. Capsules clavate or narrowly obovoid, 9–15 × 3.5–6 mm, apex atten­uate to a sterile beak, valve midrib prominent in distal part, proximal stipe 7–12(–28) mm, gradually tapering to base; sessile. Seeds narrowly obovoid, 0.8–1 × 0.2–0.4 mm. 2n = 14.

Flowering May–Sep. Sandy and gravel bars of streambeds and along streams; 900–2500 m; Tex.; Mexico (Coahuila, Tamaulipas).

In the flora area, Oenothera texensis is known only from Jeff Davis County.