Stems erect, 30–100 cm, glabrous, glaucous. Leaves: petiole 0–5 mm; blade bright green, lanceolate to narrowly elliptic, 1–6 cm, surfaces not glaucous, glabrous. Inflores­cences open racemes, axis erect; buds pendent. Flowers: floral tube 1–3 mm; sepals reflexed together to 1 side, usually green, sparsely to densely puberulent inside, without longer, spreading hairs; corolla rotate, petals lavender-pink or white, often with dark purplish spot, usually diamond-shaped, 5–15 mm, claw slender, equal to or longer than blade, entire; stamens 8, unequal, outer anthers red, inner smaller, paler; ovary with hairs as on sepals; stigma subequal to anthers. Capsules 10–30 mm. Seeds brown, 1 mm, tuberculate, crest inconspicuous. 2n = 18.

Phenology: Flowering Apr–May.
Habitat: Woodlands
Elevation: 0–1000 m.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Calif.

Discussion

Clarkia exilis is of limited distribution, known primarily from the southern Sierra Nevada Foothills and Tehachapi Mountain area in Kern and Tulare counties, with unverified reports from Fresno, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties. It is listed as rare by the California Native Plant Society.

Clarkia exilis is derived from C. unguiculata and is closely related to C. springvillensis and C. tembloriensis.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.