[Clarkias and Farewell to Springs: The Genus Clarkia in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

Slender Clarkia, Slender Godetia

Clarkia gracilis ssp. gracilis

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

Slender godetia beginning to bloom along the road into the east side of Canyon Creek, Klickitat Wildlife Area............May 22, 2015.

Corolla, sepal and inferior ovary 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.

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Slender godetia blooming on open slopes above the Klickitat River north of Klickitat, WA.....April 29, 2021.

Additional photos of slender godetia as seen on grassy slopes above the Klickitat River about 2 miles south of Grayback Mt., Klickitat County, WA........June 1, 2010.

Slender clarkia in bloom at Columbia Hills Historical State Park about one mile north of the Crawford Oaks trailhead.......May 5, 2018.

A close-up sideview of the flower and inferior ovary of slender godetia as seen on drying slopes along Major Creek, Columbia River Gorge........May 2, 2013. The connate sepals are facing away from the camera.

What appears to be slender godetia as seen in vernally moist grasslands at Panakanic in western Klickitat County........June 17, 2013. Note that there are two sets of paired sepals (one set equals two joined sepals) which would be a little bit unusual.

The photo at right shows a close-up view of the flower of slender godetia as seen along Kreps Lane in Conboy NWR.......June 18, 2006.

Paul Slichter