Elkhorns Clarkia is an annual with a simple to freely branched form. It may attain a height as great as 50 cm. The leaves are linear-lanceolate to spatulate, and are with entire to denticulate margins. Length of the leaves is from 2 to 7 cm , and width from 2 to 10 mm.
The flower buds nod, and the petals are lavendar to rose-purple. The four striking petals are 3-lobed, with the middle lobe the widest. The base of the petal narrows to a fairly narrow claw, with a pair of opposite, shor, divergent, blunt teeth near the base.
Elkhorns Clarkia is found in grasslands and often in combination with sagebrush or rabbitbrush.
Elkhorns Clarkia is found from southern British Columbia, south along the Columbia River and along the east slope of the Cascades to central Oregon, and eastward to southeastern Oregon and through southern Idaho to western Montana. In the Columbia River Gorge, it may be found between the elevations of 400'-2000' from about Bingen, WA and east to about the Klickitat River.
