Burke: Delphinium parryi vs. Delphinium glareosum

	Delphinium parryi	Delphinium glareosum
		Olympic larkspur
Habit		Sturdy perennial from a thick, fibrous, woody root, the 1-several stems stout, simple, 2-3 dm. tall.
Leaves		Leaves numerous, fleshy, evenly distributed below the inflorescence, but the petioles of the lower and basal leaves proportionately longer, forming a rounded clump; leaf blades 3-8 cm. broad, divided nearly to the base into 3 primary lobes, the lateral lobes again divided into 2-3 parts, the ultimate segments linear to narrowly oblong, entire.
Flowers		Inflorescence loose and broad, the racemes compound, often half the height of the plant, the lower flowers or racemes in leaf axils; pedicels long, stout, spreading; sepals 5, deep purplish-blue, the lower pair 12-16 mm. long, the lateral pair oblanceolate, pointed, the spur 12-17 mm. long, exceeding the blade of the upper sepal; petals 4, small, blue; stamens numerous; pistils 3.
Fruits		Follicles spreading, 11-14 mm. long..

	Delphinium parryi	Delphinium glareosum
Flowering time		May-August
Habitat		Alpine and subalpine ridges and talus slopes, sometimes found at lower elevations.
Distribution	[WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]	Occurring in the Olympics and Cascades Range in Washington; British Columbia to Oregon. [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county 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. distichum, 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: OR, WA Local Web sites: Flora NW, PNW Herbaria, Turner Photog. 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 glareosum

Olympic larkspur

Habit

Sturdy perennial from a thick, fibrous, woody root, the 1-several stems stout, simple, 2-3 dm. tall.

Leaves

Leaves numerous, fleshy, evenly distributed below the inflorescence, but the petioles of the lower and basal leaves proportionately longer, forming a rounded clump;

leaf blades 3-8 cm. broad, divided nearly to the base into 3 primary lobes, the lateral lobes again divided into 2-3 parts, the ultimate segments linear to narrowly oblong, entire.

Flowers

Inflorescence loose and broad, the racemes compound, often half the height of the plant, the lower flowers or racemes in leaf axils;

pedicels long, stout, spreading;

sepals 5, deep purplish-blue, the lower pair 12-16 mm. long, the lateral pair oblanceolate, pointed, the spur 12-17 mm. long, exceeding the blade of the upper sepal;

petals 4, small, blue;

stamens numerous;

pistils 3.

Fruits

Follicles spreading, 11-14 mm. long..