Clarkia rostrata
Clarkia sect. Phaeostoma
beak clarkia
erect, to 60 cm, puberulent.
petiole to 10 mm;
blade lanceolate, 1–6 cm.
open racemes, axis recurved at tip in bud;
buds pendent.
axis recurved or erect;
buds pendent or erect.
floral tube 1.5–2.5 mm, with ring of hairs at distal margin inside;
sepals reflexed together to 1 side;
corolla bowl-shaped, petals pinkish lavender shading white near middle, often flecked reddish purple, base reddish purple, 10–25 mm;
stamens 8, unequal, width of all filaments equal or inner slightly thinner, outer anthers lavender, inner smaller, paler.
floral tube obconic or campanulate, 1–5(–7) mm;
sepals reflexed together to 1 side (sometimes in pairs in C. epilobioides);
petals lavender, pink purplish, or white, obovate or spatulate to fan-shaped, unlobed or rarely 2-lobed, tapering to claw;
stamens 8, unequal, outer anthers darker pink or purple, inner shorter and pale pink or cream, rarely sterile (C. heterandra);
ovary 4- or 8-grooved or ribbed, or smooth (C. heterandra).
10–30 mm, beak 7–15 mm.
narrowly cylindrical or subfusiform, or rarely broadly subclavate (indehiscent, nutlike capsule in C. heterandra), 4 or 8-grooved or smooth;
sessile or subsessile to long-pedicellate.
unknown.
= 18.
Clarkia rostrata
Clarkia sect. Phaeostoma
Clarkia rostrata is known only from the Merced River drainage in the central Sierra Nevada Foothills, including Mariposa, Merced, Stanislaus, and (barely) Tuolumne counties. Because of its very limited distribution, C. rostrata is listed as rare by the California Native Plant Society.
Clarkia rostrata is closely related to C. cylindrica and C. lewisii but can be distinguished readily from both by the conspicuous beak of the capsule.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Species 15 (15 in the flora).
Section Phaeostoma is the largest section in Clarkia, with the 15 species classified in seven subsections. For the most part, these correspond with groups delineated originally by H. Lewis and M. E. Lewis (1955). Within the part of the genus with dimorphic stamens (8 in 2 dissimilar sets that vary in size and color), the species of sect. Phaeostoma have entire petals that taper to a distinct claw. Even though molecular support for sect. Phaeostoma is not strong (R. A. Levin et al. 2004), at this time it seems preferable to stress similarities and maintain this variable group in one section.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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