Clarkia purpurea

Clarkia purpurea is a species of wildflower known by the common names winecup clarkia, winecup fairyfan, and purple clarkia.

Clarkia purpurea
Clarkia purpurea (artist:M. Hart)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Onagraceae
Genus: Clarkia
Species:
C. purpurea
Binomial name
Clarkia purpurea
Clarkia purpurea subsp. quadrivulnera, western Mount Tamalpais, California.
Clarkia purpurea subsp. quadrivulnera, Blue Sky Ecological Reserve, Poway, San Diego County, California.

This annual plant is native to western North America, including: Baja California; California; Arizona; Oregon; Washington; and British Columbia. — where it is found in a diverse variety of habitats. In the California Floristic Province it is found in all the zones, except the deserts, from the coasts to high interior mountains, including the Sierra Nevada.[3][4]

Description

Clarkia purpurea erects a thin reddish stem which may approach 1 meter (3 ft.) in height and has a few lance-shaped leaves.[5]

The bowl-shaped flowers have four petals, usually one to two centimeters long. They are in shades of pink, purple, or deep wine red; often with a streak or spot of pink or red in the middle.[5]

Subspecies

Subspecies include:

  • Clarkia purpurea ssp. purpurea [6]
  • Clarkia purpurea ssp. quadrivulnera [7]
  • Clarkia purpurea ssp. viminea [8]

Uses

The Indigenous peoples of California sowed the plant, to later harvest the seeds to grind for food.[5]

The conspicuous flowers support native bees, making it a "honey plant".[5]

Taxonomy

Clarkia purpurea was first described in 1796 as Oenothera purpurea in Curtis's Botanical Magazine.[9] In 1918, it was redescribed by Aven Nelson and James Francis Macbride, who allocated it to the genus Clarkia, as Clarkia purpurea.[9]

References
  1. IPNI: Clarkia purpurea. International Plant Name Index. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  2. Nelson, A. & Macbride, J.F. (1918) Botanical Gazette 65: 64.
  3. Calflora database: Clarkia purpurea . 2.2.2013
  4. Jepson: distribution map .accessed 2.2.2013
  5. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Native Plant Information Network (NPIN): Clarkia purpurea (Winecup clarkia) . accessed 2.2.2013
  6. Calflora database: Clarkia purpurea ssp. purpurea
  7. Calflora database: Clarkia purpurea ssp. quadrivulnera
  8. Calflora database: Clarkia purpurea ssp. viminea
  9. Curtis, W. (1796) Curtis's Botanical Magazine 10: t. 352.
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