Downingia elegans

Downingia elegans
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Campanulaceae
Genus: Downingia
Species:
D. elegans
Binomial name
Downingia elegans
Synonyms[4]
  • Bolelia elegans (Torr.) Greene[2]
  • Clintonia corymbosa A.DC.
  • Clintonia elegans Douglas ex Lindl.[3]

Downingia elegans is a species of flowering plants in the bellflower family known by the common names elegant calicoflower and Californian lobelia.[5] This showy wildflower is native to western North America from California to British Columbia, where it is a resident of meadows and vernal pool ecosystems. This annual grows on a branching erect stem with many pointed leaves. At the top of each stem branch is one or more flowers, each one half to two centimeters wide. The tubular flower has two long, narrow, pointed upper lobes which are generally rich purple. The lower lip is fused into one three-lobed surface, which is purple with a large blotch of white in the center. The lobes may be quite pointed. There is sometimes some yellow coloration near the mouth of the tube.

  1. ^ Torrey, John and Wilkes, Charles alli, United States Exploring Expedition 17(2): 375. 1874
  2. ^ Greene Pittonia 2(9): 126 1890
  3. ^ Douglas ex Lindl. Edwards's Bot. Reg. 15: pl. 1241 1829
  4. ^ theplantlist.org
  5. ^ BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.