Clarkia unguiculata

Clarkia unguiculata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Onagraceae
Genus:	Clarkia
Species:	C. unguiculata
Binomial name
Clarkia unguiculata Lindl.
Synonyms
Clarkia elegans Douglas, 1837 Clarkia elegans (Pursh) Poir., 1817

Clarkia unguiculata is a species of wildflower known by the common name elegant clarkia or mountain garland. This plant is endemic to California, where it is found in many woodland habitats. Specifically it is common on the forest floor of many oak woodlands, along with typical understory wildflowers that include Calochortus luteus, Cynoglossum grande and Delphinium variegatum. C. unguiculata presents a spindly, hairless, waxy stem not exceeding a meter in height and bears occasional narrow leaves. The showy flowers have hairy, fused sepals forming a cup beneath the corolla, and four petals each one to 2.5 centimeters long. The paddle-like petals are a shade of pink to reddish to purple and are slender and diamond-shaped or triangular. There are eight long stamens, the outer four of which have large red anthers. The stigma protrudes from the flower and can be quite large. Flowers of the genus Clarkia are primarily pollinated by specialist bees found in their native habitat "Clarkias independently developed self-pollination in 12 lineages."

Commercial cultivars

• 
  'Albatross'
• 
  'Firebrand'
• 
  'Gloriosa'
• 
  'Lilac'
• 
  'Tall Double Mix'

References

• C. Michael Hogan. 2009. Gold Nuggets: Calochortus luteus, GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. N. Stromberg
• Jepson Manual. 1993. Clarkia unguiculata
• Moeller, D. A., et al. 2005. Ecological context of the evolution of self-pollination in Clarkia xantiana: Population size, plant communities, and reproductive assurance. Evolution. 59(4):786-99.

External links

Media related to Clarkia unguiculata at Wikimedia Commons

• Calphotos photo gallery