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Delphinium basalticum

basalt larkspur, basaltic larkspur, Columbia Gorge larkspur

glade larkspur, Trelease's larkspur

Stems

20-50(-65) cm;

base often reddish, puberulent.

(40-)60-80(-110) cm;

base reddish, glabrous, glaucous.

Leaves

blade round, 2-6 × 5-9 cm, not succulent, nearly glabrous; ultimate lobes 5-19, width 3-15 mm (basal), 1-12 mm (cauline).

blade round to reniform, 0.5-8 × 2-20 cm, glabrous; ultimate lobes 3-35(-56), 5 or more extending more than 3/5 distance to petiole, width 2-6 mm (basal), 0.5-2 mm (cauline), widest at middle or in proximal 1/2.

Inflorescences

(2-)6-16(-26)-flowered;

pedicel 2-7 cm, nearly glabrous;

bracteoles 4-12 mm from flowers, green, linear, 3-7 mm, nearly glabrous.

5-30(-56)-flowered;

pedicel (1-)2.5-7(-11) cm, glabrous;

bracteoles 1-7(-46) mm from flowers, blue or green, awl-shaped, 1.5-4(-12) mm, glabrous.

Flowers

sepals dark blue, nearly glabrous, lateral sepals spreading, 15-21 × 7-10 mm, spur straight to decurved, ascending 30-45° above horizontal, 14-18 mm;

lower petal blades slightly elevated, ± exposing stamens, 7-9 mm, cleft 4-5 mm;

hairs centered, mostly on inner lobes above base of cleft, yellow to white.

sepals dark bright blue, usually retaining color upon drying, nearly glabrous, lateral sepals spreading, (10-)12-17(-20) × 4-8(-10) mm, spurs straight, ascending ca. 45°, 15-17 mm;

lower petal blades ± covering stamens, 5-8 mm, clefts (1-)3-5 mm;

hairs centered, densest above base of cleft, yellow.

Fruits

12-17 mm, 3.5-4 times longer than wide, glabrous.

12-18(-22) mm, 3-4 times longer than wide, glabrous.

Seeds

± wing-margined;

seed coat cells with surfaces smooth.

unwinged;

seed coat cell surfaces smooth.

2n

= 16.

Delphinium basalticum

Delphinium treleasei

Phenology Flowering spring (-early summer). Flowering late spring.
Habitat Basaltic cliff faces, n and e slopes at base of cliffs Open juniper glades on calcareous substrate
Elevation 200-500 m (700-1600 ft) 250-450 m (800-1500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
OR; WA
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AR; MO
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Hybrids between Delphinium basalticum and D. trolliifolium are known.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Delphinium treleasei is locally abundant but extremely limited by microhabitat within its distributional range.

Hybrids between Delphinium treleasei and D. carolinianum subsp. carolinianum are known.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 3. FNA vol. 3.
Parent taxa Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Bicoloria Ranunculaceae > Delphinium > sect. Diedropetala > subsect. Grumosa
Sibling taxa
D. alabamicum, D. alpestre, D. andersonii, D. andesicola, D. antoninum, D. bakeri, D. barbeyi, D. bicolor, D. brachycentrum, D. californicum, D. cardinale, D. carolinianum, D. decorum, D. depauperatum, D. distichum, D. elatum, D. exaltatum, D. geraniifolium, D. geyeri, D. glareosum, D. glaucescens, D. glaucum, D. gracilentum, D. gypsophilum, D. hansenii, D. hesperium, D. hutchinsoniae, D. inopinum, D. lineapetalum, D. luteum, D. madrense, D. menziesii, D. multiplex, D. newtonianum, D. novomexicanum, D. nudicaule, D. nuttallianum, D. nuttallii, D. parishii, D. parryi, D. patens, D. polycladon, D. purpusii, D. ramosum, D. recurvatum, D. robustum, D. sapellonis, D. scaposum, D. scopulorum, D. stachydeum, D. sutherlandii, D. treleasei, D. tricorne, D. trolliifolium, D. uliginosum, D. umbraculorum, D. variegatum, D. viridescens, D. wootonii, D. xantholeucum
D. alabamicum, D. alpestre, D. andersonii, D. andesicola, D. antoninum, D. bakeri, D. barbeyi, D. basalticum, D. bicolor, D. brachycentrum, D. californicum, D. cardinale, D. carolinianum, D. decorum, D. depauperatum, D. distichum, D. elatum, D. exaltatum, D. geraniifolium, D. geyeri, D. glareosum, D. glaucescens, D. glaucum, D. gracilentum, D. gypsophilum, D. hansenii, D. hesperium, D. hutchinsoniae, D. inopinum, D. lineapetalum, D. luteum, D. madrense, D. menziesii, D. multiplex, D. newtonianum, D. novomexicanum, D. nudicaule, D. nuttallianum, D. nuttallii, D. parishii, D. parryi, D. patens, D. polycladon, D. purpusii, D. ramosum, D. recurvatum, D. robustum, D. sapellonis, D. scaposum, D. scopulorum, D. stachydeum, D. sutherlandii, D. tricorne, D. trolliifolium, D. uliginosum, D. umbraculorum, D. variegatum, D. viridescens, D. wootonii, D. xantholeucum
Name authority M. J. Warnock: Phytologia 78: 91. (1995) Bush ex K. C. Davis: Minnesota Bot. Stud. 2: 444. (1900)
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