Clarkia
Clarkia amoena (Farewell to Spring)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Onagraceae
Subfamily: Onagroideae
Tribe: Onagreae
Genus: Clarkia
Pursh
Type species
Clarkia pulchella
Species

over 40, see text

Clarkia is a genus within the flowering plant family Onagraceae. Over 40 species are currently classified in Clarkia; almost all are native to western North America, though one species (Clarkia tenella) is native to South America.

Clarkias are typically annual herbs, growing either prostrate or erect to a height of less than 2 metres. Their leaves are small and simple, from 1 to 10 cm in length depending on the species. Their flowers have four sepals and four petals, usually white, pink, or red, and are often spotted or streaked. Their fruit are elongated, cylindrical pods, usually 4-grooved or 8-grooved, and when mature they hold many tiny, cubical seeds.[1]

Several members of the genus are sometimes referred to by the common name "godetia", including Clarkia amoena, Clarkia affinis, and Clarkia lassenensis (the Lassen godetia). This is because they were formerly classified in a genus called Godetia, which is no longer recognised since its members have been absorbed into the genus Clarkia. Older sources may still use Godetia as a genus name.

The genus was named in honour of the explorer Captain William Clark. Unofficially, the genus is sometimes referred to as Yorkia, in honor of York, an African-American member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.[2]

The Royal Navy had a warship called HMS Clarkia, a Flower-class corvette.

Cultivation

Some species are popular garden plants, for example the mountain garland, Clarkia unguiculata, the redspot clarkia, Clarkia speciosa, Farewell to Spring, Clarkia amoena and Clarkia bottae. There are cultivated varieties of some of these species.

Ecology

Clarkia species play important roles in their local ecosystems, as they provide habitat for native pollinators. Some pollinators even rely on Clarkia exclusively, such as the "Clarkia bee".[3] They are also used as host plants by some species as caterpillars, such as Sphingidae moths.[4]

Species

As of August 2023, Plants of the World Online accepted the following species:[5]

ImageScientific nameDistribution
Clarkia affinis F.H.Lewis & M.E.LewisCalifornia
Clarkia amoena (Lehm.) A.Nelson & J.F.Macbr.British Columbia south to the San Francisco Bay Area.
Clarkia arcuata (Kellogg) A.Nelson & J.F.Macbr.California
Clarkia australis E.SmallCalifornia
Clarkia biloba (Durand) A.Nelson & J.F.Macbr.Sierra Nevada foothills
Clarkia borealis E.Smallsouthern Klamath Range and the southernmost Cascade Range foothills.
Clarkia bottae (Spach) F.H.Lewis & M.E.Lewissouthern California
Clarkia breweri (A.Gray) GreeneCalifornia
Clarkia concinna (Fisch. & C.A.Mey.) GreeneCalifornia
Clarkia cylindrica (Jeps.) F.H.Lewis & M.E.Lewissouthern California Coast Ranges, western Transverse Ranges, and southern Sierra Nevada foothills.
Clarkia davyi (Jeps.) F.H.Lewis & M.E.LewisCalifornia
Clarkia delicata (Abrams) A.Nelson & J.F.Macbr.northern Baja California and adjacent San Diego County, California
Clarkia dudleyana (Abrams) J.F.Macbr.Transverse Ranges and the southern Sierra Nevada foothills.
Clarkia epilobioides (Nutt.) A.Nelson & J.F.Macbr.California, Arizona, and Baja California
Clarkia exilis F.H.Lewis & Vasekwestern North America.
Clarkia franciscana F.H.Lewis & P.H.RavenSan Francisco Bay Area
Clarkia gracilis (Piper) A.Nelson & J.F.Macbr.California, Oregon, and Washington
Clarkia heterandra (Torr.) F.H.Lewis & P.H.RavenCalifornia
Clarkia imbricata F.H.Lewis & M.E.LewisSonoma County, California
Clarkia jolonensis Parn.Monterey County, California
Clarkia lassenensis (Eastw.) F.H.Lewis & M.E.LewisCalifornia, Oregon, and Nevada
Clarkia lewisii P.H.Raven & D.R.Parn.mountains of Monterey and San Benito Counties
Clarkia lingulata F.H.Lewis & M.E.LewisMariposa County, California
Clarkia mildrediae (A.Heller) F.H.Lewis & M.E.Lewissouthernmost Cascade Range and northern Sierra Nevada.
Clarkia modesta Jeps.North and Central Coast Ranges and the Sierra Nevada foothills.
Clarkia mosquinii E.Smallnorthern Sierra Nevada foothills at the border between Butte and Plumas Counties.
Clarkia prostrata F.H.Lewis & M.E.LewisSan Luis Obispo County, California
Clarkia pulchella PurshPacific Northwest mainly east of the Cascade Range in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, the southern margin of British Columbia
Clarkia purpurea (Curtis) A.Nelson & J.F.Macbr.Baja California; California; Arizona; Oregon; Washington; and British Columbia.
Clarkia rhomboidea Douglaswestern North America
Clarkia rostrata W.S.Davisthe California oak woodlands of the Sierra Nevada foothills around the Merced River in Mariposa County.
Clarkia rubicunda (Lindl.) F.H.Lewis & M.E.LewisCentral Coast California
Clarkia similis F.H.Lewis & W.R.ErnstCalifornia
Clarkia speciosa F.H.Lewis & M.E.LewisCalifornia Central Coast and mountains and from the Sierra Nevada foothills.
Clarkia springvillensis VasekTulare County, California
Clarkia stellata MosquinLake Almanor
Clarkia tembloriensis VasekSan Joaquin Valley, and into the adjacent Inner South California Coast Ranges
Clarkia tenella (Cav.) F.H.Lewis & M.E.LewisChile and Argentina
Clarkia unguiculata Lindl.California
Clarkia virgata GreeneSierra Nevada.
Clarkia williamsonii (Durand & Hilg.) F.H.Lewis & M.E.Lewisnorthern and central Sierra Nevada foothills.
Clarkia xantiana A.Graysouthern Sierra Nevada and its foothills and the adjacent Transverse Ranges.

References

  1. ↑ "Onagraceae - Genus Page/ Botany, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution". naturalhistory2.si.edu. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
  2. ↑ Beatrice Kilat. "Five Tips for Decolonizing Language: What's in a name?". Retrieved 2023-03-10.
  3. ↑ Peach, Kristen; Mazer, Susan J. (2019). "Heteranthery in Clarkia: pollen performance of dimorphic anthers contradicts expectations". American Journal of Botany. 106 (4): 598–603. doi:10.1002/ajb2.1262. ISSN 1537-2197. PMID 30901494.
  4. ↑ Miller, Timothy J.; Raguso, Robert A.; Kay, Kathleen M. (2014-01-01). "Novel adaptation to hawkmoth pollinators in Clarkia reduces efficiency, not attraction of diurnal visitors". Annals of Botany. 113 (2): 317–329. doi:10.1093/aob/mct237. ISSN 0305-7364. PMC 3890391.
  5. ↑ "Clarkia Pursh". Plants of the World Online. 2017-08-19. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
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