''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
''Adelinia grandis'', previously known as ''Cynoglossum grande'', is a species of flowering plant in the borage family known as Pacific hound's tongue. It is the only species in the genus ''Adelinia''.
The genus name of ''Adelinia'' is in ho ...
'' 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
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, 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."
[Moeller, D. A., et al. 2005.]
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
Calphotos photo gallery
unguiculata
Endemic flora of California
Flora of the Sierra Nevada (United States)
Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands
Natural history of the California Coast Ranges
Natural history of the Peninsular Ranges
Natural history of the Santa Monica Mountains
Natural history of the Transverse Ranges
Plants described in 1837
Flora without expected TNC conservation status
{{Myrtales-stub