Clarkia speciosa subsp. polyantha

red spot clarkia

Family: Onagraceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.3

Red spot clarkia is a California native annual herb found in the southern Sierra Nevada Foothills and Tehachapi region in foothill woodland at elevations below 700 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces lavender to purple flowers with distinctive red-purple spots near the center of each delicate petal. Growing with erect stems and few branches on well-developed plants, it reaches heights typical of annual wildflowers. Its leaves are slender and linear to narrowly lanceolate, arranged along the stem with minimal width. The open flower clusters showcase petals that gradually lighten in color from deep purple to a softer lavender toward their base.

Habitat: Foothill woodland

Bloom period: May-Jun

Elevation: < 700 m

Bioregions: s SNF, Teh.

California counties: Kern, Tulare, Fresno, Santa Barbara, Madera

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.