Clarkia is a genus within the flowering plant family Onagraceae. Over 40 species are currently classified in Clarkia; almost all are native to western North America, though one species is native to South America.
Clarkia affinis is a species of wildflower known as chaparral clarkia. It is endemic to California, where it grows mainly on chaparral slopes and woodlands in the Coast Ranges. This is a spindly plant producing erect stems exceeding half a meter in height and sparse narrow leaves. The flower is a bowl-shaped bloom with four pink or red petals each 5 to 15 millimeters long. The petals may have darker spots near the base and purple or red speckling.
Clarkia purpurea is a species of wildflower known by the common names winecup clarkia, winecup fairy fan, and purple clarkia.
Clarkia rhomboidea is a species of wildflower known by the common names diamond clarkia and forest clarkia. This plant is native to western North America, where it is a common resident of varied forest and woodland habitats. This clarkia grows a spindly stem not exceeding a meter in height and occasional small leaves. The flower has four petals which are bright pink to lavender and often speckled with darker pink shades. The petals are diamond-shaped to spoon-shaped and one to one and a half centimeters long. There are eight stamens, each holding a large anther bearing blue-gray pollen.
Clarkia unguiculata is a species of wildflower known by the common name elegant clarkia or mountain garland. The plant was named after Captain William Clark who was part of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Clarkia cylindrica is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common name speckled fairy fan, or speckled clarkia.
Clarkia arcuata is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common name glandular clarkia. It is endemic to California, where it grows in the chaparral and woodlands of the foothills of the Sierra Nevada and southern Cascade Range.
Clarkia australis is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common name Small's southern clarkia. It is endemic to California, where it grows in the forests of the central Sierra Nevada. It is an uncommon species threatened by such forest activities as logging. This annual herb produces a slender, erect stem approaching a meter in height. The leaves are widely linear in shape and borne on short petioles. The top of the stem is occupied by the tall inflorescence, which bears hanging buds that open from the lowest upward so that there are several closed buds above open flowers. The sepals do not remain fused as the flower opens. The petals are diamond-shaped and sometimes lobed and curling at the tip. They are mottled or spotted lavender, purple, and reddish in color, and each is up to 1.5 centimeters long. There are 8 long stamens tipped with large anthers bearing blue-gray pollen. The stigma protrudes past the anthers.
Clarkia borealis is a rare species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common name northern clarkia. It is endemic to California, where it is known from the forests of the southern Klamath Range and the southernmost Cascade Range foothills. It is an annual herb growing an erect, slender stem. The leaves are oval in shape and borne on short petioles. The top of the stem is occupied by the inflorescence, in which the lowest flowers open first and hanging, pointed flower buds occur at nodes at the top. The sepals separate as the flower blooms, revealing purplish pink petals. Each petal is between 1 and two centimeters long, elongated triangular to semicircular in shape, and sometimes flecked with dark purple. There are 8 stamens with anthers bearing blue-gray pollen, and a protruding stigma.
Clarkia delicata is a rare species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common names Campo clarkia and delicate clarkia. It is native to northern Baja California and adjacent San Diego County, California, where it grows in the woodland and chaparral of the Peninsular Ranges. This is an annual herb producing an erect stem just over half a meter in maximum height. The leaves are oval or widely lance-shaped, up to 4 centimeters long, and borne on very short petioles. The top of the stem is occupied by the inflorescence, in which the lower flowers open while the upper buds hang closed. The sepals remain fused as the flower blooms from one side. Each unlobed oval petal is about a centimeter long and pink to pinkish-lavender. There are 8 stamens, some with large orange anthers and some with smaller, paler anthers. There is also a protruding stigma with four large, fuzzy lobes.
Clarkia epilobioides is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common name canyon clarkia. It is native to California, Arizona, and Baja California, where it grows in shaded habitat in woodland and chaparral. It is an annual herb producing a slender, erect stem sometimes exceeding half a meter in height. The leaves are narrowly to widely lance-shaped and less than 3 centimeters long. The top of the stem is occupied by the inflorescence. Each hanging bud has four red sepals which remain fused all together or in pairs as the petals emerge during blooming. The petals are one half to one centimeter long, oval in shape, solid white or cream in color, often fading pink as they age. There are eight protruding stamens and one stigma.
Clarkia exilis is a small herbaceous annual plant of western North America. It is an uncommon species in the evening primrose family known by the common names Kern River clarkia and slender clarkia.
Clarkia franciscana is a rare species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common name Presidio clarkia. It is endemic to the San Francisco Bay Area of California, where it is known only from two populations at the Presidio of San Francisco and three occurrences in Oakland. The plant is known only from serpentine soils.
Clarkia jolonensis is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common name Jolon clarkia. It is endemic to Monterey County, California, where it is known from the woodlands of the Central Coast Ranges.
Clarkia mildrediae is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common name Mildred's clarkia. It is endemic to California, where it is known from the forests of the southernmost Cascade Range and northern Sierra Nevada. It is an erect annual herb often exceeding half a meter in height. The oval leaves grow up to 6 centimeters long and are borne on petioles of up to 4 centimeters. The inflorescence bears opening flowers and hanging, pointed flower buds. As the bud opens the sepals all separate instead of remaining fused as those of many other Clarkia species do. The triangular to semicircular petals are about 2 centimeters long and lavender to bright reddish-purple, sometimes with dark speckling. There are 8 stamens with anthers all alike, and a protruding stigma.
Clarkia mosquinii is a rare species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common name Mosquin's clarkia. It is endemic to California, where it is known only from the northern Sierra Nevada foothills at the border between Butte and Plumas Counties. It was thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered in 1991. It is an erect annual herb often exceeding half a meter in height. The oval or lance-shaped leaves are 2 to 5 centimeters long. The inflorescence bears opening flowers below a series of clusters of closed, hanging flower buds. The sepals all separate as the flower blooms. The diamond-shaped petals are one to two centimeters long light to medium purple in color, and sometimes speckled with reddish purple.
Clarkia prostrata is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common name prostrate clarkia. It is endemic to the coastline of San Luis Obispo County, California, where it grows on seaside bluffs in forested and grassy areas. This annual herb is prostrate as opposed to erect as most other Clarkia species are. Its stems extend to a maximum length approaching half a meter and are usually somewhat fuzzy in texture. The leaves are oval in shape, up to 2.5 centimeters long, and lack petioles. The sepals of the flower separate into two pairs, revealing the lavender-pink blooming petals. Each petal is just over a centimeter long, fan-shaped to oval, and sometimes with a yellow base marked with a red spot.
Clarkia rostrata is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common name beaked clarkia.
Clarkia tembloriensis is a rare species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family, known by the common name Temblor Range clarkia and belonging to the Onagraceae family.
Clarkia virgata is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common name Sierra clarkia. It is endemic to California, where it is known from the forests and woodlands of the Sierra Nevada.
