[Clarkias and Godetias: The Genus Clarkia East of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]

Slender Clarkia, Slender Godetia

Clarkia gracilis ssp. gracilis

Synonyms: Godetia amoena var. concolor, Godetia amoena var. gracilis

Slender Clarkia, Slender Godetia: Clarkia gracilis ssp. gracilis (Synonyms: Godetia amoena var. concolor, Godetia amoena var. gracilis) - Slender Clarkia, Slender Godetia: Clarkia gracilis ssp. gracilis (Synonyms: Godetia amoena var. concolor, Godetia amoena var. gracilis)

Slender Godetia as seen at Brooks Memorial State Park off US 97 near Satus Pass.........June 1, 2019.

Connate sepals of Slender Clarkia, Slender Godetia: Clarkia gracilis ssp. gracilis (Synonyms: Godetia amoena var. concolor, Godetia amoena var. gracilis)The photo at right shows a close-up side-view of the flower arising from a leaf axil of slender godetia as seen along Kreps Lane in Conboy NWR..........June 18, 2006. The ovary is inferior as seen in this photo, and is 4-grooved and covered with minute, light-colored hairs. Note also the connate sepals, which means that the sepals below the petals are joined or turned to one side of the underside of the flower.
Characteristics:

Slender Godetia is a slender, erect, simple or branched annual with stems from 15-60 cm high. The herbage varies from glabrous below to covered with white, appressed hairs above. The leaves are linear-lanceolate to broadly lanceolate with entire margins and taper gradually to a slender petiole. They measure from 3-6 cm long.

The flowers are found at the top of the stem, arising from the leaf axils. The tip of the inflorescence and the unopened buds are recurved to the side or downwards, only becoming erect as the flowers open. The sepals are joined and turned to one side beneath the flower. The hypanthium is 1-3 mm long. The 4 pink to lavender petals lack spots and measure from 8-20 mm long. The cream colored stigma lobes are 1-1.5 mm long while the style is shorter than the stamens. At flowering, the ovary is longitudinally 4-grooved. The cylindrical capsules are straight, 3-5 cm long, and widest at the middle, tapering gradually to each end.

Slender Godetia is similar to herald-of-summer, Clarkia amoena as well as Lassen Clarkia Clarkia lassensis. The petals of the latter are larger and typically spotted, and the tip of the inflorescence is upturned before flowering. The latter species has an ovary that is 8-grooved.


Habitat:

Slender Godetia is found in open, grassy meadows and prairies.


Range:

Slender Godetia is found from Walla Walla County in Washington west to Klickitat County (WA) and Wasco County (OR) and the White Salmon River in the Columbia River Gorge and then west of the Cascade Mts, it is found south to central California.


Slender Clarkia, Slender Godetia: Clarkia gracilis ssp. gracilis (Synonyms: Godetia amoena var. concolor, Godetia amoena var. gracilis) - Flower of Slender Clarkia, Slender Godetia: Clarkia gracilis ssp. gracilis (Synonyms: Godetia amoena var. concolor, Godetia amoena var. gracilis) - Habitat of Slender Clarkia, Slender Godetia: Clarkia gracilis ssp. gracilis (Synonyms: Godetia amoena var. concolor, Godetia amoena var. gracilis) and hyacinth cluster lily (Triteleia hyacinthina)

Slender godetia blooming on a vernally moist drainage with hyacinth cluster lily (Triteleia hyacinthina) and dwarf rush (Juncus hemiendytus) in the Simcoe Mountains Unit of the Klickitat Wildlife Area.......June 15, 2022.

Petals and sepals of Slender Clarkia, Slender Godetia: Clarkia gracilis ssp. gracilis (Synonyms: Godetia amoena var. concolor, Godetia amoena var. gracilis)

The photo above shows slender Godetia as seen at Tom McCall Preserve in the Columbia River Gorge.........June 16, 2002.

Paul Slichter