Diamond Clarkia (Clarkia rhomboidea)

Tygh Creek Trail, Badger Creek Wilderness Area, OR, 6/2017

The Diamond or Common clarkia, showed up near its close relative the Elkhorns Clarkia,

in early spring in Oregon’s Buckhorn Wilderness near Mt. Hood. It has a simplicity of its own, with spots and diamond shaped petals instead of the “horn” shape of the Elkhorn , or the closed cupped shape of other Clarkias. As such, it leans more towards the willowherb (epilobium) side of the Evening primrose-Willowherb family.