Stems erect or rarely decum­bent, to 100 cm, glabrous and sometimes glaucous or sparsely to densely puberulent, some­times mixed with longer, spreading hairs. Leaves: petiole 0–2 mm; blade linear or narrowly lanceolate to elliptic or ovate, 1.5–7 cm. Inflorescences open or dense racemes, axis straight; buds erect. Flowers: floral tube 2–10 mm; sepals reflexed individually or in pairs; corolla bowl-shaped, petals lavender to purple, purplish red, or dark wine-red, often with red or purple spot near middle, tip, or base, 9–25 mm; stamens 8, subequal; ovary 8-grooved, length less than 8 times width; stigma as long as or exserted beyond anthers. Capsules 10–30 mm, beak 0–2 mm. Seeds brown or gray, 1–2 mm, scaly, crest 0.2 mm.

Distribution

w North America, nw Mexico.

Discussion

Subspecies 3 (3 in the flora).

Clarkia purpurea consists of a diverse assemblage of hexaploid populations and is almost certainly derived from multiple origins followed by hybridization and, perhaps, backcrossing to parental species. Three morphological forms are recognized as subspecies; intergrades are frequent.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Clarkia purpurea subsp. purpurea, Clarkia purpurea subsp. quadrivulnera, Clarkia purpurea subsp. viminea

Key

1	Leaf blades broadly lanceolate to elliptic or ovate; inflorescences dense racemes.	Clarkia purpurea subsp. purpurea
1	Leaf blades linear to lanceolate or narrowly lanceolate; inflorescences usually open racemes.	> 2
2	Petals 15–25 mm; stigmas exserted beyond anthers.	Clarkia purpurea subsp. viminea
2	Petals 9–14 mm; stigmas not exserted beyond anthers.	Clarkia purpurea subsp. quadrivulnera