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Clarkia Pursh.

Onagraceae

  Clarkia sp.: stems  
Synonym

Godetia Spach = Clarkia

Alternate trade names

godetia

Common names

satin flower

Species cultivated

Clarkia amoena (Lehm.) Nels. & Macbr. (=C. grandiflora F.&M. Greene1),

C. amoena ssp. whitneyi (A. Gray) F.H. & M.E. Lewis

C. pulchella Pursh.

C. unguiculata Lindl. (=C. elegans Douglas1).

Origin

Western U.S., particularly California.

Brief characterization

Simple, lanceolate, entire or toothed leaves; flowers in leafy racemes; hypanthium present; 4 sepals united and deflexed to one side and 4 paper-thin petals; stamens with flattened filaments widening toward attachment to rim of hypanthium; ovary long, grooved, pedicel-like; style with 4-lobed stigma.

Cultivar and/or species variation

Flowers to 5 cm across, in both single and double forms; mostly in shades of pink, also lavender, red, orange, and white; petals may have central spot or streaks of a different color; petals of some cultivars (e.g. Clarkia unguiculatum) with short to long claws.

Countries exporting

Namibia.

 
Clarkia sp.: ovary and deflexed sepals
 
Clarkia sp.: flower

Clarkia sp.

Clarkia amoena 'Rembrandt'
Photo: © K. Sahin, Zaden B.V.

Clarkia amoena
Photo: © California Cut Flower Commission

Clarkia pulchella Improved Mixture
Photo: © K. Sahin, Zaden B.V.

Clarkia unguiculata Formula Mixture (doubles)
Photo: © K. Sahin, Zaden B.V.
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