About Downingia elegans (Douglas ex Lindl.) Torr.
Downingia elegans (Douglas ex Lindl.) Torr. is a species of flowering plant in the bellflower family, with common names elegant calicoflower and Californian lobelia. This showy wildflower is native to western North America, ranging from California to British Columbia, where it grows naturally in meadows and vernal pool ecosystems. It is an annual plant that grows a branching erect stem covered in many pointed leaves. One or more flowers grow at the top of each stem branch; each flower measures between half and two centimeters wide. The flower has a tubular structure, with two long, narrow, pointed upper lobes that are typically a deep rich purple. The lower lip is fused into a single three-lobed surface, which is purple with a large white blotch at its center. These lobes can often be quite pointed, and yellow coloration sometimes appears near the mouth of the flower tube.
