Burke: Delphinium parryi vs. Delphinium distichum

	Delphinium parryi	Delphinium distichum
		two-spike larkspur
Habit		Sturdy, grey-puberulent perennial from fleshy roots, the stems 4-7 dm. tall.
Leaves		Basal and lower cauline leaves long-petiolate, the blades 4-6 cm. broad and divided nearly to the base into 3 segments, which are twice divided into broad segments; lower leaves abruptly transitional into mid-stem leaves, which are short-petiolate, very numerous and overlapping, and finely divided into linear segments.
Flowers		Inflorescence a many-flowered, spike-like raceme, the pedicels shorter than the calyx spur and strongly ascending; sepals 5, bluish-purple with lighter streaks, cupped forward, 7-9 mm long, oblong, the spur 11-17 mm. long; petals 4, small, the lower pair blue, lobed, the upper pair white; stamens numerous; pistils 3.
Fruits		Follicles 8-12 mm. long, erect, usually glandular.

	Delphinium parryi	Delphinium distichum
Flowering time		May-July
Habitat		Vernally wet swales and meadows, in sagebrush or ponderosa pine forest.
Distribution	[WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]	Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to Oregon, east to Montana and Wyoming. [WildflowerSearch map]
Origin		Native
Conservation status		Not of concern
Sibling taxa	D. ajacis, D. basalticum, D. ×burkei, D. depauperatum, D. distichum, D. glareosum, D. glaucum, D. leucophaeum, D. lineapetalum, D. menziesii, D. multiplex, D. nuttallianum, D. nuttallii, D. occidentale, D. stachydeum, D. sutherlandii, D. trolliifolium, D. viridescens, D. xantholeucum	D. ajacis, D. basalticum, D. ×burkei, D. depauperatum, D. glareosum, D. glaucum, D. leucophaeum, D. lineapetalum, D. menziesii, D. multiplex, D. nuttallianum, D. nuttallii, D. occidentale, D. stachydeum, D. sutherlandii, D. trolliifolium, D. viridescens, D. xantholeucum
Web links	Local floras: CA Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos, Flora NW, PNW Herbaria WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search	Local floras: BC, OR, WA Local Web sites: Flora NW, PNW Herbaria WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search

Delphinium parryi

Delphinium distichum

two-spike larkspur

Habit

Sturdy, grey-puberulent perennial from fleshy roots, the stems 4-7 dm. tall.

Leaves

Basal and lower cauline leaves long-petiolate, the blades 4-6 cm. broad and divided nearly to the base into 3 segments, which are twice divided into broad segments; lower leaves abruptly transitional into mid-stem leaves, which are short-petiolate, very numerous and overlapping, and finely divided into linear segments.

Flowers

Inflorescence a many-flowered, spike-like raceme, the pedicels shorter than the calyx spur and strongly ascending;

sepals 5, bluish-purple with lighter streaks, cupped forward, 7-9 mm long, oblong, the spur 11-17 mm. long;

petals 4, small, the lower pair blue, lobed, the upper pair white;

stamens numerous;

pistils 3.

Fruits

Follicles 8-12 mm. long, erect, usually glandular.