Downingia elegans

{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}

{{Speciesbox

| image = Downingia elegans.jpeg

| genus = Downingia

| species = elegans

| authority = (Dougl. ex Lindl.) Torr.Torrey, John and Wilkes, Charles alli, United States Exploring Expedition 17(2): 375. 1874

| synonyms =

• Bolelia elegans (Torr.) GreeneGreene Pittonia 2(9): 126 1890
• Clintonia corymbosa A.DC.
• Clintonia elegans Douglas ex Lindl. Douglas ex Lindl. Edwards's Bot. Reg. 15: pl. 1241 1829

| synonyms_ref = [http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-367758 theplantlist.org]

}}

Downingia elegans is a species of flowering plants in the bellflower family known by the common names elegant calicoflower and Californian lobelia.{{BSBI 2007|accessdate=2014-10-17}} 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.