Clarkia tembloriensis

Temblor range clarkia

Clarkia tembloriensis (Temblor range clarkia), native California herb

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Family: Onagraceae · Type: Herb · Native

Clarkia tembloriensis (Temblor range clarkia) is a native California herb in the Onagraceae family.

Temblor range clarkia is a California native annual found in California's central coastal regions in grassland and oak woodland habitats. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces lavender-pink flowers with diamond-shaped petals and distinctive purple spots, measuring one to two and a half centimeters across. Growing with erect stems up to 80 centimeters tall, it has glaucous, gray-green lanceolate leaves measuring two to seven centimeters long. Its leaves have short petioles zero to five millimeters long, with delicate lavender to red outer stamens contrasting against paler inner stamens. The plant develops elongated fruits one and a half to three centimeters long, with a width of approximately three millimeters.

Identification and appearance

Key characters: Geographically isolated from all other Clarkia species

Habitat and range

California counties: Kern, Fresno, Alameda, San Benito, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus, Kings, Santa Barbara, Monterey

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 tembloriensis native to California?

Yes. Clarkia tembloriensis is native to California (recorded as native).

Where in California does Clarkia tembloriensis grow?

Clarkia tembloriensis occurs in Kern, Fresno, Alameda, San Benito, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus, Kings and other counties.

What plant family does Clarkia tembloriensis belong to?

Clarkia tembloriensis is in the Onagraceae family, genus Clarkia.

Related species

Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.

All Clarkia species · All Onagraceae

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.