Clarkia xantiana

Gunsight clarkia

Family: Onagraceae · Type: annual · Native

Gunsight clarkia is a California native annual found in rocky or disturbed habitats at elevations of 300 to 1,200 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces lavender to red-purple flowers with distinctive two-lobed petals and a small white-centered spot on the upper petals. Growing with erect, glaucous stems up to 80 centimeters tall, it has a slender, delicate form. Its narrow leaves range from 2 to 6 centimeters long, linear to lanceolate in shape, with minimal or no leaf stalks. The flower's unique petal structure features two-lobed petals with a thin tooth between the lobes, creating an intricate and delicate bloom.

California counties: Kern, Los Angeles, Tulare, Tuolumne, Inyo, San Bernardino, Butte, Ventura, Placer

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