Clarkia dudleyana
Dudley's clarkia
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Onagraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Clarkia dudleyana (Dudley's clarkia) is a native California herb in the Onagraceae family, recognized by bowl-shaped corolla and 8-grooved ovary distinctive.
Dudley's clarkia is a California native annual found in the central Sierra Nevada, Sierra Nevada foothills, Tehachapi, eastern South Coast, Transverse Ranges, and Peninsular Ranges in openings of woodland, chaparral, and yellow-pine forest at elevations below 1,500 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces lavender-pink flowers with white streaks and red flecks, forming bowl-shaped blossoms 10 to 30 millimeters wide with distinctive fan-shaped petals. Growing with erect stems up to 70 centimeters tall and covered in fine soft hairs, it has an upright, slender structure. Its leaves are narrowly lanceolate, 1.5 to 7 centimeters long with short petioles less than 1 centimeter, arranged alternately along the stem. The flower buds are particularly notable for their recurved tips and pendant positioning before blooming.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 39 sympatric species; bowl-shaped corolla and 8-grooved ovary distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Openings in woodland, chaparral, yellow-pine forest
Elevation: < 1500 m
California counties: Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Tulare, Orange, Fresno, Mariposa, Madera, Tuolumne, Kern, Ventura, Sierra, Stanislaus, Nevada, Trinity, Inyo, Placer, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, San Diego
Bloom period
Clarkia dudleyana blooms May-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Epilobium: Clarkia seeds lack a hair tuft and its petals are broad, often clawed or lobed; Epilobium and Chamerion have seeds bearing a tuft of silky hairs and long, thin capsules.; vs Oenothera: Clarkia flowers are pink to lavender-purple and its buds nod before opening; Oenothera flowers are generally yellow (or white), larger, and open at dusk.; vs Camissonia: Clarkia petals are pink-purple, often fan-shaped or lobed with a distinct claw; Camissonia and Camissoniopsis have yellow, unlobed petals.; vs Sidalcea: Clarkia has 4 petals, an inferior ovary, and a 4-lobed stigma; Sidalcea (checkerbloom) has 5 petals, a superior ovary, and a central mallow staminal column.; vs Gayophytum: Clarkia is showy with petals 10-35 mm; Gayophytum has minute white-to-pink flowers only a few mm across on thread-like branches.
Frequently asked questions
Is Clarkia dudleyana native to California?
Yes. Clarkia dudleyana is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Clarkia dudleyana bloom?
Clarkia dudleyana blooms May-Jul.
Where in California does Clarkia dudleyana grow?
Clarkia dudleyana occurs in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Tulare, Orange, Fresno, Mariposa, Madera and other counties, at elevations of < 1500 m.
What plant family does Clarkia dudleyana belong to?
Clarkia dudleyana is in the Onagraceae family, genus Clarkia.
What habitat does Clarkia dudleyana grow in?
Clarkia dudleyana grows in Openings in woodland, chaparral, yellow-pine forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.