Clarkia purpurea subsp. viminea
Photo: parent species Clarkia purpurea · Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Onagraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Clarkia purpurea subsp. viminea is a native California herb in the Onagraceae family, recognized by larger petals and exserted stigma distinguish from quadrivulnera.
Slender clarkia is a California native annual found in the California Floristic Province in open, grassy or shrubby places at elevations below 1,500 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces lavender to purple flowers with a darker spot on each petal, creating a delicate and distinctive bloom up to 2.5 centimeters long. Growing with slender, upright stems 30 to 60 centimeters tall, it forms an open, graceful habit in grassland and shrubland settings. Its narrow leaves are linear to lance-shaped, measuring 3 to 7 centimeters long, with a delicate texture that complements the plant's elegant flowering structure. The stigma extends beyond the flower's anthers, adding to its distinctive botanical character.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 68 sympatric species; larger petals and exserted stigma distinguish from quadrivulnera
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, grassy or shrubby places
Elevation: < 1500 m
California counties: Kern, Ventura, Los Angeles, Shasta, El Dorado, Orange, Humboldt, Mendocino, Mariposa, Fresno, Santa Cruz, Marin, Tuolumne, San Mateo, San Diego, Santa Clara, Tulare, Butte, Santa Barbara, Siskiyou, Placer, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, Amador, Sonoma, Alameda, Contra Costa, Lake, San Francisco, Sacramento, Tehama, Lassen, Stanislaus, San Benito, Napa, Nevada, Madera, San Bernardino, Trinity, Colusa, Merced, Riverside
Outside California: Oregon
Bloom period
Clarkia purpurea subsp. viminea 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 purpurea subsp. viminea native to California?
Yes. Clarkia purpurea subsp. viminea is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Clarkia purpurea subsp. viminea bloom?
Clarkia purpurea subsp. viminea blooms May-Jul.
Where in California does Clarkia purpurea subsp. viminea grow?
Clarkia purpurea subsp. viminea occurs in Kern, Ventura, Los Angeles, Shasta, El Dorado, Orange, Humboldt, Mendocino and other counties, at elevations of < 1500 m.
What plant family does Clarkia purpurea subsp. viminea belong to?
Clarkia purpurea subsp. viminea is in the Onagraceae family, genus Clarkia.
What habitat does Clarkia purpurea subsp. viminea grow in?
Clarkia purpurea subsp. viminea grows in Open, grassy or shrubby places.
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.