''Clarkia lewisii'' is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common name Lewis' clarkia. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

, where it is known from the hills and mountains of

Monterey Monterey (; es, Monterrey; Ohlone: ) is a city located in Monterey County on the southern edge of Monterey Bay on the U.S. state of California's Central Coast. Founded on June 3, 1770, it functioned as the capital of Alta California under both ...

and San Benito Counties.

Description

It is an erect annual herb generally under half a meter in height. The lance-shaped leaves are a few centimeters long have petioles shorter than 7 mm, with blades 2-5 cm long.. The

inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed o ...

bears opening flowers and closed, hanging flower buds. The flower's tube measures 1.5-4 mm and has a ring of hairs at the rim. As the bud opens the pink or purple

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined b ...

s stay fused as the petals bloom from one side. The fan-shaped petals are up to 3 centimeters long, pink to lavender with white and red coloration near the bases. There are 8

stamen The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...

s and a protruding stigma. The ovary is four-grooved, with the stigma extending beyond the anthers. The fruit is cylindrical, measuring 1.5-7 cm.

References

External links

Jepson Manual Profile
lewisii Flora of California Plants described in 1978 Flora without expected TNC conservation status {{Myrtales-stub