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Lewis' Clarkia
Clarkia lewisia
1998
The flowers of the Evening Primrose Family have a four lobed stigma, the texture of which on this clarkia is meant to trap as much pollen as possible. What pollinates this flower is a puzzle as the pollen is green. Bees usually prefer yellow, blue, and purple pollen; perhaps the purple-flecked corolla has some ultra-violet cues. If you look closely at the clarkia hypanthium, there is generally a ring of hairs within to keep raiders, Oakland or otherwise, from getting in and stealing the nectar without pollinating the flower. This Clarkia is named for both of the explorers of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Captain William Clark (1770-1838) and Captain Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809).
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