evening primrose

The evening primrose belongs to a large family of flowering shrubs and plants, many of which bear four-petalled yellow flowers. The evening primrose opens its blooms at night and is pollinated by moths. Oil from the pressed seeds of one species of evening primrose is a source of gamma-linoleic acid which may be used medicinally for a variety of ailments including the reduction of high cholesterol.

Any of a group of plants that typically have pale yellow flowers which open in the evening. About 50 species are native to North America, several of which now also grow in Europe. Some are cultivated for their oil, which is rich in gamma-linoleic acid (GLA). The body converts GLA into substances which resemble hormones, and evening primrose oil is beneficial in relieving the symptoms of premenstrual tension. It is also used in treating such ailments as eczema and chronic fatigue syndrome. (Genus Oenothera, family Onagraceae.)